Mango #2

5x7 oil on clay board

Finally yesterday I picked up my brushes again.  After nearly a month off from painting I was itching to get started again.  And I was also a little rusty in my technique.

I like this mango much better than the one I painted a few posts back.  However, this one was much more of a challenge.  I like to paint on small 5x7 gesso board panels.  However, I ran out a while back and all I have been able to find were larger 8x10 panels at the local art store, which is fine for a weekend painting but a bit large for a one-sitting painting on a week night (at least for me, because I paint slow).  Yesterday, my wife called me and said all the art store had in stock were 5x7 clay panels. I thought, what the heck, I will give it a try.

Well . . . the clay panels were unlike anything I have ever painted on.  It was almost like painting with acrylic.  The panel literally sucked the oil out of the paint within a few seconds, leaving only the dry chalky pigment behind. I had to constantly go back and open the paint back up. it was a challenge to say the least.  Despite the trouble, I am generally happy with this painting.  I like the colors and feel that the background is much better than on the last mango.  My Iphone picture really does not do it justice.  I have one clay panel left.  maybe I will give it another try.  Not sure yet.  Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you like the painting.  Comments (both good and bad) are welcome. Here is another larger picture