More on Palin

I stopped obsessing about finishing anything in one sitting and have been bouncing around from painting to painting. I found that can keep things fresh. I am using so much linseed oil that nothing is drying. That way I can keep working wet on wet without having to worry about anything drying. I have been rotating the paintings around as I work the images up. I spend half the time painting on the canvases that are upside down. Each time I turn the canvas I find that I feel like I am approaching a fresh image. I have stopped trying to paint a perfect portrait and instead have been focusing on the shapes as simply abstract shapes. This detachment helps me keep the painting alive.

I had some left over mud on my palette and made a mid tone color for Sarah Palin. I like to slop the paint on pretty loosely. I used this mid tone for a few minutes until that approach started to feel old. I then took the painting off the easel and left it alone. No reason to overwork anything. 

I think I am pretty sure I won't be doing any blending on this painting. As the painting develops I am hoping that the last layer of paint will be more transparent. I'd like Palin to look ghostly. We'll see.