
I like to do paintings in one session (called "Alla Prima") but when they have a lot of detail, as in urban landscapes, that one session can feel like a marathon. This was one of those. I started at about 1pm and finished at 11:30 pm, taking a break only to go out for a slice of pizza, and to throw the ball for my bored-silly pooch.
Once you get warmed up and into the flow, the brushwork takes on a natural, loose quality. "New starts" can show up in a multi-session painting as passages that look stiff and forced. I want the whole painting to have the same loose quality, thus the painting marathon. Plus, I'm impatient and this was a commission with a tight deadline. That always helps.
New York Pretty
Acrylic on canvas, 18x24"