SADDLE SHOES ... a Short Walk down Memory Lane ....

Drawing reference for painting. I almost always use a grid when doing something requiring more accuracy.

First washes - a thin glaze of indanthrone on the "saddle" of the saddle shoes, and different mixtures of aureolin, permanent rose and cobalt blue for the greys and browns. The soles are painted with quin. burnt orange and alizarin crimson.

Ahhh ... that's looking better. I have done some applications of  black, using quin. burnt orange, quin. violet and indanthrone.

Here, I have scuffed up the toes and heel a bit, using a dry brush technique. Still a work-in-progress ...
Framable size  22 x 27 cm.

Voodoo [and he really suits that name]

My reference drawing

A slow start ...
36 x 28 cm.

The arts program director where I teach recently asked [well, asked several times] if I could do a painting for an charity auction the center is supporting. The theme is fashion. No longer being the fashionista I once was, I had a hard time thinking of a suitable subject. Then I had an inspiration from an old memory. When I was very young, every August my sister and I walked, with my mom,  up to the local shoe store to get our NEW school shoes. I always found this such a happy experience. It's strange what one vividly remembers. I can still feel and see myself walking home in the new shoes, too heavy and clunky for the hot summer afternoon. And I found it fascinating to be able to put my feet into a machine where I could see my bones glowing green! Now I realize it was some sort of x-ray device, probably not the most brilliant method of checking the fit of shoes, but it sure looked cool!!! Anyway, it was a great memory, and gave me a good idea for a painting - some scuffed up, old saddle shoes.

Thank you so much for dropping by!