16 Brushes

When I clean up after a day at the easel, a quick glance at the number of brushes I've used is a good indication of how well the painting session has gone. Two to three and I'm probably just touching up a couple of areas. Five to eight and the painting has gone smoothly. Over a dozen brushes and the piece could be in trouble.

As I looked at the 16 brushes I had to clean, it was clear there were some issues.

 I want that special look to the northern lights. Above I've used all my large blending brushes until they are saturated with color and no longer blend the colors easily. It sort of looks like northern lights but the sky is not terribly exciting.

After throwing in some abstract blocks in the night sky, I've moved to the bear. My first run through with him produced a muddy look so blues have been added.
Below, the last bit of highlight on the bear has been painted.

As I was lying in bed that night, I tried to convince myself that the abstract nature of the sky was what I wanted with the more realistic bear.
Nope, I just wasn't buying it. I had to figure out the color I could see in my head. It seemed every combination of blues, greens and yellows just wasn't quite right. The sky needed to glow.

Then all of a sudden, it came to me. I could mix the Gamblin Phthalo Emerald with Rembrandt Lemon Yellow. The next morning I was eager to return to the studio and use those much loved blending brushes to finish the painting.

Light Show

7.5" X 13.5"

Original Oil