Grumpy Old Man - The Process

Some of my friends ask me often HOW I work when making paintings. Especially are they interested in my use a live model, or what, when working out my "nude" paintings.
My use of colors are also part of their interest, and they sometimes feel that my way of putting colors together seems intriguing, but nothing for their own living-room walls.

I have therefor tried to describe THE PROCESS in working out my last painting, called "Grumpy Old Man" It all started when my wife shot a photo of me and said that I looked like a grumpy old man sitting at the bench with a beer.
You are free to agree with her.

Looking at the photo and already prepared to start working with a new painting, I saw the possibility to use the photo as a self-portrait. I have painted my face earlier, and also used it as a more or less hidden element in my body-paintings. Now I wanted to use it as part of an idea I had based upon Edward Munch´s painting of the Bohemian writer Hans Jæger.
I therefor made a charcoal sketch on the canvas. As you can see, I am no drawer but the sketch is good enough to position the figure and make the body with my face in an interesting environment.
Last step of the Process is to fill acrylic colors (Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, Prussian Blue, SAP Green, Magenta, Black and White) into the figure in a way that gives a PAINTING and not a PHOTO copy as the result. When finished, I am satisfied and have put the painting on my cottage wall.
Grumpy or not, take care of the opportunities you can interpret out of a specific daily happening. At least that makes me feel great.