58 Hour Update

Today I worked on the dress.  I decided to paint the underpainting of the smocking area of the dress and let it dry before I attempted the stitching.  I finished the lace on the bottom of the dress and applied some color to the folds.  Still need to work on the skin and finish the azaleas.

I've been asked about some of the materials I use.  I like to use M. Graham oil paints.  I don't spend a lot of money on brushes as I'm bad about not taking good care of them.  So with each portrait I'll go and buy 2 cheap Master's Touch brushes.  I like the 1000 series, flat shader size 2 for a lot of the detail.  To clean my brushes I have a brush tank that I put 1/3 Gamsol and 2/3 Safflower oil in.  It usually lasts the whole painting then I clean it out.  I use a glass palette and cut it to fit in a Mastersen box so that I can put it in the freezer.  This keeps the paint until I need it.  I painted the back of the glass palette grey.  I also have a plastic bottle with denatured alcohol in it that I spray down my palette with when I want to clean it.  It comes right off with the help of paper towels.  I will use a little walnut oil for medium but most of the time I go without medium as the paint is so creamy by itself.