Sol Duo (Cafe Scene)

8"x10" oil on Belgian linen mounted on archival panel

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Sunshine, excitement, peach lemonade

An umbrella of welcomed shade over a table of two. 

I actually painted several different couples seated at this table. Luckily, when I started around one in the afternoon, I made a quick value sketch first. Then laid in the darks first thing- ALL the shadow places. Squinting down helps really reduce the values to a minimum. Even the sun and shadow on simple plastic cafe chairs becomes really fascinating. By getting the BIG shapes down quickly, the rest of the painting fall into place.  So with those basics down on canvas, you have the "basic truths" that you need to proceed. 

Some of the staff at Cafe Sol, kept me hydrated with some fantastic peach lemonade (delicious!). They also kept a lot of folks happy with snow-cones! Thank you all!

For a second painting in the late afternoon/early evening, my friend Joanne showed up with this fantastic hat & green sun-dress...super for painting a "Hensche-esque mud-head" type quick figure sketch in the sun. Her hubby and daughter came along too, so it was great fun to catch up with the three of them. Thank you to Constancia for this last photo of me painting her mom!