Chronichles of Spring
Oil on panel
I finished this painting a few months ago. It is one of a series of small still lives I am painting on panel. I love working on panel, or pressed board, because of its perfectly smooth surface. Most oil painters prefer canvas, and I do for figure paintings, but for these small still lives I want the texture to be minimal. I like the glass like quality of the painting after it is varnished.
Pressed board is also a lot cheaper to work on. I usually buy a few 4 x 8 ft. board from Home Depot and have them cut it in various sized pieces. I end up with about 20 or so panels, all different dimensions. This keeps me from getting too comfortable with one size or format. It forces me to think about composition and layout more because I have to make my image work with one of the boards I have already cut. If I bought pre-stretched canvas I would be limited by the standard sizes available.
Before painting on board I prime it with at least 3 coats of Kilz (also available at Home Depot) on all sides, including all 4 edges. This seals the wood and readies the board for your gesso and underpainting.
Detail of Gladiola
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