Brandon asked for a red & black painting using some elements of a "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin

The five color stages to complete this project:

First, a thin layer of yellow oxide (watered down) with a bit of burnt umber was spread and manipulated. 

Second, a layer of cadmium red with some burnt umber was spread across the entire project with some erasing (wiping away with a clean cloth).

Third, red acrylic paint was applied with a brush in various areas.

Fourth, and last, ivory black was spread across the entire surface and much was removed with a clean cloth. 

Twenty new paintings

I recently started 20 new paintings - many of them the long or tall size. The plan was to get the preliminary stuff out of the way so that I could take advantage of a two day "Fall Break"! I did OK. I have 10 framed, 6 ready to frame and four that need one more color layer. Below are most of the paintings in the first stage - plastered and textured.
Below I have the first color layer (out of three) applied and manipulated.

Below many of the paintings are done and framed. Some only have two color layers and are waiting for me to add the third.

A wedding painting for this weekend - Peter & Robin - 3 color layers

Final color layer:

Second color layer added:

Here are six new paintings

I've been using some of the products from Trimtex - where I will have a show this coming June. The middle piece has imprints of a wide lace trim above the zebras. The piece on the right has imprints from a narrower lace trim running up & down.
I used commercial "texture plates" to impress two cirlcle patterns into the plaster of the painting below. As you can see, I haven't yet added the third color layer to many of the paintings near the top of the photo below.

One color layer to go and then these 51 will be done (Except for the frames which is no small deal - since I build the frames myself.)

I have added the yellows for the first color layers. Different yellows can been seen below.
The second color layers have been mostly reds and some greens. I have to keep with my method of first layers light, second layers medium and third layers dark.

The paintings are looking quite bright and not too subtle! I will start the third layers tomorrow.

Link to a youtube video that shows how I color my textured paintings

Click here to see how I applied three color layers to this painting. That's my idea of fun!

Final versions of "wedding paintings" maybe!

In addition to making a third layer of color on each painting, I hand-painted some areas to make them darker or lighter.
I also added some gold highlights with a special marker.

First color layer on new "wedding paintings"

Now - fun with color! When the colors work somewhere near my expectations, then that's my kind of fun. Should I get a life?

Each of these paintings will get two more coatings of color - two more color layers. The next colors will be darker than the color already used. The painting below will be a challenge because it is quite dark already.

In my photography club, someone mentioned that vertical images are more dynamic than horizontal ones?

A new wedding painting

Here is the plaster with two coatings of gloss polymer medium.
Below the first color layer was done with yellow oxide and cadmium yellow. It is easy to see where I have removed the yellow.

The second color layer is an orange with some cadmium red. Again it is quite easy to see where I have removed some of the orange.

The third color layer has been done with a mixture of pthalo green and burnt umber. Lots of erasing was necessary to get back to the yellows and oranges.

Finally, I have added green washes in a few areas and some gold highlights in the doily textures.

I have painted a coating of polymer medium after each color layer.

First color layer on the Night & Day paintings

As you remember (?), I start with the lightest of three colors when I begin coloring my paintings. I rub the color over the entire surface, smooth it with a paper towel and erase areas with a soft, cotton cloth (t-shirts work well). Mostly I start with a shade of yellow, yellow-orange or orange.I have tried to make many variations in color and design in this group of eleven paintings. After the first color layer is dry, I seal the surface with another coat of gloss polymer medium.
Soon I'll work the second color into the textures.

The details

I use a lot of "joint compound" to make my textured paintings. I often brag that I can do 100 paintings with one five gallon bucket. As you can see below, another bucket is almost exhausted.Below you can see what it looks like after I've spread a layer of plaster on one of my masonite (standard board) panels - similar to a stuccoed wall. I try to maintain about an 1/8 of an inch of plaster - probably a little less.

I use many different things to impress textures into the plaster. As long as I get an object dripping wet, I have no problem with plaster sticking to it.

The photo below shows the textured plaster after it has dried for 48 hours. Now the plaster is ready to be sanded (to eliminate sharp edges) and painted twice with polymer gloss medium to waterproof the surface and to make it stronger.

Below, the sheen from the coatings of polymer can be seen.

Below, you can see that the first color has been added. The paint was added by (1.) rubbing watered-down (thick, creamy consistency) yellow oxide acrylic paint into the textures, (2.) smoothing the paint with paper towels and (3.) erasing areas with a clean, cotton cloth (old tee shirts). When the yellow paint dries, it is necessary to paint another coat of polymer to seal the yellow in place. In the next photograph, I've added a second color (a mixture two differnt hues of acrylic red) and I've painted yet another coat of polymer gloss medium. You can see where I erased the red color and exposed either yellow or white. You can also detect two different red colors (barely - most of the red is quite orange because of the yellow under it) depending on if there is white or yellow under the red coating. I am now ready for a final color and a final coating of polymer medium which I generally change by adding mat medium so that the final work has a satin finish. I work most often with just three colors going from lighter shades to darker ones. I would have this painting done except for the flooding of my studio/basement last night. A transformer blew at 12:30 am and my sump pump quit. I had six inches of water this morning before electricity was restored.