Next we paint the window scene. I use very light glazes of color to keep it airy and light so it gives the illusion of distance. Even the details like the man with the gondola are kept simple and not too detailed since they are far away. In between letting the layers dry I also pain the pillar with the same light tones and glaze it with iridescent gold.
To add a bit of extra flare I add some gold flakes to her mask, necklace, the curtain holder, and the dress rim on her neckline and sleeve. To adhere the gold leaf I add matt gel medium to the area I want to put the gold, then I “pick it up” with my brush and dab it on top of the matt medium. I also add some collage paper to the chair that her arm is resting on.
As a final touch I use a few color pencils of the same hues I have around the painting to add some line work and fly-away strands on the hair, and deepen some of the contrast throughout the painting. I make sure to limit this in the window scene, as it is in the distance therefore I don’t want to draw too much attention to it. The most details should be always be in the foreground to give the illusion of depth in the painting.
I hope you enjoyed this project and painting this project with me… I really love the enriching effects the collage and gold leaf can give when incorporated this way!
Now let’s get on to our next project shall we?
