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While I approach every painting a little differently, I usually begin by transferring the lines of the drawing to the panel. I then do a rough, thin underpainting layer, using burnt umber, black, and white. After this, I paint one or two more layers of underpainting in color. Then I paint the final layer in color. With each successive layer the painting becomes increasingly detailed and polished. While most of the decisions are made prior to beginning a painting, often changes are made in progress (note that the buttons on her pants are eliminated after the monochromatic underpainting). I use sable brushes that are intended to be used for watercolors; it is the only way I can achieve the desired results. The oil paintings generally take between two and four months to complete.
"I am inspired by the subject matter and extreme level of detail in Ferguson's paintings."