That’s right: my sketch was approved, with only some minor value adjustments. Rebecca cleared me to move to paint tomorrow. I’ll enlarge the 9×12 drawing to 18×24 and mount it to the plywood board, and I could potentially be starting a value underpainting tomorrow night if it dries fast enough. This is very good news. I didn’t start painting until the fourth day last year. The difference was having a sketch that I was completely in the grip of going in, and keeping it simple enough that it’s manageable.
So I’ll have no excuses for not finishing this one this year – not even the fact that I have to work Thursday morning and I’ll miss half the day.
Great to see everyone again and be back in the buzz. This really is so much fun. I so rarely get to study with people in person – nothing tops studying with Graydon personally, of course, and that’s my main orientation for the other 51 weeks of the year… but this is just flat-out fun, and I can’t wait for the post-midnight painting sessions with everyone going nuts and freaking out and helping each other get through it. I’m already looking forward to 2011.
Tomorrow will be James Gurney’s first IMC lecture, which should be a real treat. I hope he’ll become a regular member of the IMC faculty. I don’t think I’ve ever met a nicer guy, and he’s full of fascinating ideas and completely devoted to creativity. Good times.