I always start by applying a thin wash of paint to tint the canvas. Usually a complementary color to the finished piece is chosen.  For instance if the finished painting will be made up of predominantly warm yellows and oranges I will choose a blue or a purple for the background tone. The reason behind this is because fragments of the underpainted color will show through in the finished work creating an exciting color vibration between complementary colors.  For a painting that showcases the greens of summer a red or orange background tone works well.

Next, I sketch in the subject with a brush using paint thinned with odorless mineral spirits. I often grid the reference photo and canvas to help me draw more accurately. If I’m working from a live model or outdoors a grid is not used.

I squeeze a dollop of each of the colors along the left side of my palette and place the white along the top edge towards the middle.  After selecting a brayer I dab it into a paint color and roll it onto the palette. Then another color is dabbed and mixed with the previous color by rolling back and forth, up and down. This process is repeated until the desired hue is achieved. I never add any mineral spirits when using the brayer because it causes the paint to be too slippery.

Working randomly I build a base of strokes that will be the foundation for subsequent layers. After each session the paint needs to dry for a day before additional strokes can be rolled on top.

Try not to be too concerned with defining the subject at this early stage. Let the strokes break the edges of the drawing, for this looseness adds to the beauty of the finished painting.

Continue applying strokes by layering new paint on top of the dried paint from the previous days work. Wet paint can usually be rolled over one time but the thicker the paint layer the messier the strokes become. I like crisp edged strokes therefore I try not to roll over wet paint too often.

At this stage I establish the lightest and darkest areas of the painting. This helps me determine where all the remaining tone values have to fall in relation to the lightest and the darkest values.

I am conscious of allowing the blue underpainting to show through so I try not to completely cover the background wash with brayer strokes. Varying the pressure on the brayer adds interest.  Some strokes can be painted boldly while others can just caress the canvas for a transparent effect.

In the final phase of this painting I tilt the brayer on its edge and paint a suggestion of prairie grass leaves in the background. I then load the brayer with a generous amount of purple and dab this color onto the tree limbs. A few random green strokes have been applied to add sparkle to the grass. By tilting the brayer at the beginning and ending of these strokes a dynamic effect is achieved.

I use a small brush for the chickadee’s eye and beak but since this is essentially a large-stroke painting I try not to over-detail the work.

I would rather the painting be a little unfinished than overworked so I stop at this point and add my signature.

Since the painting style is fairly contemporary and the strokes have been carried around the sides of the canvas frames are not needed.