I started by sketching it out very carefully, using light blue paint. I did a lot of measuring, you know, with my brush held at arm's length, squinting down the length of my arm. I always feel like an idiot doing that, with a crowd of people watching me, but it's the only way I know to get an accurate drawing. Here is my set-up in front of the painting, and the progress I made before I broke for lunch.
After lunch, I started putting in some color. I didn't get too far, and decided not to push it, since I was tired and freezing. Usually the galleries are very warm and humid, but today it was really chilly in there, and I was just wearing a t-shirt. So I called it a day. I feel that this is a pretty solid start, and I'm looking forward to picking it up again next Monday.
copy after Cézanne's "The Peppermint Bottle", day 1
