The oil sketch is a vital step of the painting process for me. Each large multi-figure composition I create is prepared as a result of intense study of each individual pose in the same lighting situation. I begin with quick gesture drawings, then graduate to longer term drawings of select poses which eventually become small oil sketches. This process allows understanding of the anatomy, light, and potential psychological impact of each pose or movement of the body.
This painting was a part of a series I exhibited in 2007 entitled Poesis. The work examined the process of painting and its relationship with artifice.
