This was the first image I painted in black and white. It’s such a technical painting that I did up against a deadline without much sketching and preparation. I guess I paint well under pressure. Along the way and surprisingly to me, the reflections in the metal were my favorite part. In the reference photograph, it looked so good, but painting it felt bizarre. It wasn’t until I took a pace or two back that I realize how successful it had been. My best advice when painting realism is paint what the light is telling you, not what your brain is telling you.
Previous
Previous
Liftoff
Next
Next