Becca (Sundial) – FRED WESSEL

☰

×
Biography
Paintings & Drawings
Technique
Workshops & Events
Links
Contact

La Mia Gioia (My Joy)

Step 1

The silverpoint drawing of Becca holding the sundial.
Step 2

Beginnings of the drawing with India ink.
Step 3

Washes of India ink were applied to the model’s face, hair, and dress.
Step 4

Red clay “bole” mixed with rabbit skin glue was applied in the areas of the panel that would be covered with gold leaf.
Step 5

The bole was dampened with “gilders liquor” and the rectangular sheets of gold leaf were applied.
Step 6

Details showing areas covered with terre verde and verdaccio green colors.
Step 7

Details of the painting after the bright reds – or “apples in the cheeks” – were painted in.
Step 8

The skin areas were glazed with thin layers of translucent pink flesh tones made from cadmium red, raw siena and titanium white.
Step 9

A detail of the head with greens and “apples” softened further with pink fleshtones.
Step 10

The tempera portion of the painting is finished.
Step 11

Wessel spent the next three weeks inscribing a detail of a map of constellations by J. Flamsteed, obtained from his friend, Felice Stoppa of Milan, into the gold leaf.
Step 12

The finished Becca (Sundial), 2006, egg tempera with gold and palladium leaf, collection of Dr. and Mrs. Joe Gretzula.