This week... I am painting Jerusalem

However, I could alternatively have called this post: a week of firsts.

- I suggested to Chris I should cut a bit out of painting. He said no. But subsequently agreed it was the right thing to have done. Yes!

- I told Chris the painting was finished. He agreed. Another high fist: yes! 

I'm quite pleased with it actually. I was a bit resistant about painting it via a projected acetate copy of the original painting as it seemed rather like cheating. However I was assured it wasn't and that lots of professional artists do that kind of thing. (And to think. I've spent all this time trying to learn to draw...)

 It looks ok here, but I thought at this stage it was looking a bit wishy washy.

 I decided against gold leaf as it seemed to separate from the rest of the painting - even though this is obviously just a piece of card!

 But using gold oil paint, rugged on with my finger worked well. Chris suggested I distress it and let drips from above run over it. However, the two paints resisted each other, so that didn't really work.

So this is the finished painting. Re-projected with the foreground a bit more worked on.

And this is sort of how it will look in the installation.

So, a good week.

I painted Jerusalem. Chris agreed with me (twice). And I hopefully bought a house.

(And to think Duncan accused me of not being in because I was sunbathing...)