1/27/25 Color Sketch

Hi Steve and Sandy,

Your commission is finished! Of course, the final approval is up to you both. I’ve included two details as well so you can see how I depicted your BMW, yourselves, and the golden retriever.

I hope you like it as much as I do! But if not, now is the time I can make minor adjustments.

Once I have your approval, I’ll let it continue to dry for a week. Then I’ll varnish it, which will bring out the darks as well as provide a removable protective layer.

I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Best regards,

Linda

“Cruising Downtown - Sarasota, FL”

Detail, BMW

Detail, Golden Retriever

12/23/24 Color Sketch

Hi Steve and Sandy,

Here’s your color sketch!

I’ve used a limited palette (cadmium red light, cadmium yellow medium, and phthalo blue plus white and black) to ensure color harmony.

The best way to evaluate a color sketch is to view it from a distance. Then you get the overall feel of the painting and are not distracted by details.

In this sketch the shape of the white/salmon building makes a strong statement against the sky. The line of the palms and buildings on the right bring you into the distance. I like the repeated shapes of the storefronts on the right and those spots of yellow in the sunlight.

The bits of red accents in the awnings on the right add interest and the color is repeated in the red car on the left. The color of the red golden retriever echoes the salmon of the building.

And in the center, your dark black BMW anchors the whole painting.

Color sketch.

Approved value sketch.

Approved composite sketch.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Once I have your approval, I’ll start on the full-size painting.

I’m still working to have your commission finished by February 1 per the contract, but the design change did require some additional time so it may be a bit later in February.

Best regards,

Linda

12/12/24 Revised composite photo and new value sketch

Hi Steve and Sandy,

Thanks for your feedback. Here is the revised composite photo, with your car a bit bigger, and a new value sketch.

The best way to evaluate a value sketch is to view it from a distance. Then you get the overall feel of the painting and are not distracted by details.

In this sketch I like the balance of the big dark shape of the palms on the left with the smaller dark of your car. I like the lines of the dark palms on the right that leads you into the painting. I’ve added a few tree shadows in the foreground for interest and to make the street a clearer diagonal line to the left.

As you can see, the white SUV on the right contrasts with the back of the BMW. I also put some darks behind your heads to give me contrast to your light hair color. I made the walking couple a bit less important than the BMW.

Once you approve this composite photo and value sketch, I’ll start on your color sketch.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts! You can reply on the form below.

Best regards,

Linda

For your approval: A new value sketch.

For your approval: a revised composite with the car a bit bigger. Please confirm size.

12/9/24 Revised concept and composite photo

Hi Steve and Sandy,

Thanks for all the recent photos. I’ve put together a new composite photo for your painting. Compared to last time it:

  • has the BMW facing away from us, and a bit further into the painting

  • Uses a stock photo to include a couple and a golden retriever. The couple will be very simplified, with no faces, and the focus will be on the shape of the dog against them.

  • Again I’ve included a bit more of the foreground of the street in the frame to improve the balance of the composition.

You’ll notice that the car in the painting is blue. I just used that image because it was at a better angle in terms of perspective. I’ll use your photo (below) of your BMW Z4 for color and to suggest you two in the seats.

As I mentioned in my email, there will be a $50 charge for this scope change.

“One Block Over”, oil, 40x40”.

Photo of your BMW Z4 that I’ll use for color and to suggest you both in the car. I’ll remove the roll bars and headrests.

In the composite above left, please confirm for me that I have your car at the right size compared to the other cars and the people. I just eyeballed it and I’d like your opinion.

Once you approve this composite photo, I’ll make another value sketch to design the painting, and then a color sketch.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts! You can reply on the form below.

Best regards,

Linda

For your approval: A new composite image for your 30h x 24w” painting. Please confirm car size.

Previous composite. (It looks like I had the painting proportions wrong. Oops.)

11/13/24 Value Sketch and Selection of Head Views

Hi Steve and Sandy,

I’m happy to be getting started on your commission! This is your private webpage where I can show you the progress of your painting. (You may want to bookmark it, because it isn’t accessible through the nav bar.) Below are the first steps:

“One Block Over”, oil, 40x40”.

In the photo merge above, I may have made your car a bit over scale, but I want it to be big enough to be the focus of the painting. What do you all think?

I also added some space at the bottom of the canvas to improve the composition, and I added a shadow in the value sketch below to for balance.

For your approval: a value sketch for your 30x24” painting.

Now that we’re adding your car and removing the people, I wanted to rethink the composition a bit. A value sketch is how I work out a plan for the painting, just using 4 values (dark, medium-dark, medium-light, and light) to make clear design that will carry through to the finished painting.

Here, I’m not at all concerned about details. Instead I’m looking at how the large shapes and values relate to each other. If this works, then the final painting will be exciting and make a strong statement.

Head and shoulders Option 1

Photo that was the basis for “One Block Over”. I added the Tesla and figures from other photos.

Photo of your BMW Z4 that I’d like to use for reference in your painting. Thanks for being patient models!

A photo merge of the 2 images.

Head and shoulders option 2

Now we need to choose the images that I’ll use for your heads and shoulders in the car. Admittedly, the lighting is better in option 1, but I can use that value and color information for either view.

So, which do you like better, #1, when you’re both looking at us? Or #2, when Sandy is looking at Steve and Steve is looking at the road? Or maybe a combination of the two?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts! You can reply on the form below.

Best regards,

Linda