Here is my latest painting. "Dance School" is a mix media painting of pastel over watercolor. I love the story , who is the woman in the window? It's a little haunting and mysterious. I think the dark ceiling adds to the drama.

The color palette is limited to shades of orange to browns with touches of mauve and blue. There is a strong architectural element to the building and the window.

What I'm trying to decide is if I will use this as the sketch for an oil. For sure if I do this in oil I won't be changing anything but the lettering on the sign. I would be very careful with the perspective on the lettering.

I am using paint to tell a story. It's up to you to fill in the characters and story line.

Here is my completed painting. The background was muted to give some aerial perspective. I had to take out the ashtray and the cigarette pack. I could not get the ashtray to sit on the table. Yes, painting 3D in a 2D media at times can be difficult, or in this case impossible. I thought that the clothes were a little boring, so I added some color to them, picking up the red of the table and some lighter blue for high lights. I could go on painting this forever, but I've reached that point where I don't think I can paint it any better. As a life long learner, there will always be room for improvement. But, I am happier with these faces and hands. So yippie for that. Now it has to get frame and then get started on a new painting. I have an idea for a new "voyeur painting", so it's back to watercolor to get the idea out of my head and on to paper.