We left off with corrections and tracing the letters.

Know that the subtle shadings of colors from one blank to the next is due
to the artificial versus natural light in the room when photographed,
and fresh paint is much brighter than after it is cured…
also…
The test images were all done with basically one coat; on the final flag,
most colors are getting 2-3 coats on top of the base.  With the drying time
between (4-7 days) it slows the process down a bit.
Some colors dry a bit faster, but I have learned my lesson to be patient.

The Corona virus stopped things suddenly, and I did not get back to
painting for over four weeks.  We could not foresee how it would change our studio other than protocols: NO one in the studio after beginning of March, and
setting up a waiting station of incoming deliveries to sit for several days.
But, clients were concerned and needed to be reassured, pickups and deliveries were canceled, and we had to rearrange the studio for storing finished items long terms.
Painting George is not like doing a bit of touch-up.
I need four hour stretches to drop into painting an image.
The last day it looked like I was interrupted, above, and I was — and I lost mixed paint.
Starting back up I had to clean, remix some colors, and relax into the portraits again.

The lettering was created with a small 3/8-inch angled specialty brush.
I decided not to use the mixed paints because of the separation;
metallic paints have different properties and ways of mixing with other paints.
Instead I painted one the Rich Gold, and two in the Pale Gold.
The lettering was actually the most difficult of the tasks,
because of the way I had to stand with the small brush making precise marks…
I wish I could have flipped the blanks around into various position
to make it easier, but they are large and unwieldy.

It is risky to show faces that are basically blocked in —
A layer of paint must go on underneath on the silk to cover the green,
then fine tuning can be done.  Without 2-3 coats of thin paint the portrait become too textural — something that I do not want in the flag.  Above you can see how as I fine tune (this is still not quite done) he begins to look more like himself; still, his eyebrows
are not quite right, and his nose needs a bit of work.

Below, Portrait #3 as it progresses from transfer sketch to an almost finished face.

Portrait #3

Lining of the lettering, finishing George’s other faces, lace on his blouse,
and coming back for fine-tuning or corrections if needed —
and I am complete with the painting of the portraits.

To begin at the beginning, visit Washington State Flag, 1.

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May be reposted if our url + copyright is used as reference.