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For my San Diego 100 (#20), I tried the interiors.  This is a bit of a departure from the previous 19 scenes, which are all landscapes.

I liked the way light hits inside this small diner and the cozy atmosphere people come to enjoy, not to mention all kinds of comfort food they serve.  This is also my favorite spot to have lunch sometimes, so I have decided to make a new painting of the place.

I take a little different approach when it comes to painting interiors.  In my landscape painting, I often build up tonal values from light to dark with several glazes.  However, in interiors, I have found working in alla prima works.  Instead of dividing the entire painting session into several sittings, I try to do it in one.  This means, to me, having a good "pre-game" plan and working quickly, especially in the beginning stage of painting.  So it is very important to observe light before I start and understand tonal values in the scene.

   After pencil drawing, I immediately start laying down colors in a more direct manner.  I put the dark values where I want them using thick paints as seen in the left side and upper right of the painting.  I use a wet-in-wet technique mainly in places where I want light-to-mid values.  I also connect all the shapes at this stage, so dark and lighter values nicely merge without making objects look like cutouts.


   

While the paper is still moist, I keep putting in more pigments and pushing colors around where I don't want to create hard edges, such as under the counter and by the ceiling light.  The rest of the painting surface can wait now as I can go back to it even after the area gets dry.  When I work on it, I add another glaze or two to warm/cool the dry surface.  The last step includes defining important shapes and adding in little details.    


  Finished.
San Diego 100 (#20) - Julian


San Diego 100 (#20) - Julian

Click here for a larger image of this painting.

Media: original watercolor
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Sold