WORKS IN PROGRESS

IN THE STUDIO

VISHNU-CHRIST AVATAR

Adam and Eve before the Tree of Knowledge
(click on the image for details)
This is the bottom of a grisaille painting
where I'm playing with the mix of Hindu and Gothic
styles and iconographies.

Below is the whole composition.

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IN THE BRIDAL CHAMBER

      The images below offer a glimpse into the various stages that went into this painting.

Drawing stage:
Face of Kali superimposed
over Madonna with Child
and Madonna Dolorosa

Underpainting with burnt umber
and golden green

Refined the Madonnas
with white underpainting,
glazes and local colours

The white underpaintingr
of Kali's face,
awaiting amber glazes

First amber glazes

More glazes
and finished details

      This was an ambitious project. The composition in the drawing stage may seem complex, but the layers of paint and colour eventually distinguish the forms. After finishing the burnt umber underpainting, I glazed with golden greens and ochres to create a sombre atmosphere. Then, I highlighted the madonnas with white and glazed over them, refining them until they had a strong enough presence to be seen through the face. The face of Kali was painted semi-transparently in whites, and repeatedly glazed. Afterwards came the final details.

Brown umber underpainting

Refined with white underpainting,
glazes and local colours

White underpainting of the face of kali
awaiting the amber glazes

amber glazes over white

THE FIGURE OF KALI

drawing

underpainting

finished

A preparatory sketch