Palette Knife Painting

Lacy Lady

10" x 8"

oil

My first palette knife painting!  Except for the drawing with a number two bristol flat, this entire portrait was done with two palette knives.  Took about two hours with an excellent model (yes, painted from life) at the Venice Portrait Studio.  Really globbed the paint on thick and smushed (fancy art term for blending) it around like putty.  Had lots of fun and learned a lot about painting with the knife.  Even the finishing details were slashed on with a knife.  

Trouble was, I went through a lot of paint.  My solution: make two piles of the left overs, one warm and one cool.  I put them in the corner of my paintbox (which keeps paint wet without refrigeration) and used them for the next painting.  Started with two mystery colors, or colors-with-no-name.  Leftover paint could also be used to tone future canvases.  I hate to waste paint.  Oh, and this painting was also done without using any mineral spirits or turps... just plain old linseed oil.  

I don't want to paint with palette knives every time, but will be wonderful to use with brushwork also.  This was just a self-challenge to see if I could do it.