Brasenose Layers 6, 7 & 8

Layer 8 Near side

When I started this project I knew I had bitten off a mighty hunk to chew.  Pastelling a full 3D Trad is a lot different than a medallion!!  How to get the spray in the right places, not too heavy, not too light?  How to do shading?  How to not muddy things up??  I'm making this color up, I didn't record specific amounts, I'm doing everything by eye... Up to now liver chestnut has never been one of my favorites---

But then...
But then... I got used to walking outside to the barn, rain or snow or dark, to spray him.
But then...  After 3 coats of Pearl Ex a golden glow appeared and hasn't gone away.
But then...  Following my test piece,  altering only in minor ways (plus the Pearl Ex), his ugly stage has been short.
I now know my test medallion came into my possession in March of 2016.  That Jypsi was a bonus from ordering the Mini Rose Khan.  How interesting:  the Khan has been my only Mini Rose to be painted, so far.  O ho, what breed was he?
-- an Akhal Teke.

Layer 8  Off side

Faster and faster this horse, Brasenose, has gone for me.  The test Jypsi went fast, yes.  I was surprised;  the swiftness of her completion was one of the aspects that surprised me.  It shouldn't've but it did.  She was done before I left Tucson.  (I'd love to put her in the Also-Painted of 2018, but she was started in January.)  Brasenose was started on the 10th and already, in 8 days, he's past Layer 8.  I'm doing these posts in short bursts in an attempt to catch some of the magic as it bolts by.  The speed of it, once I finally got down to having a day and a half clear, is as the speed of a racing Akhal Teke.  He's galloping.

Here is Layer 4, in case you're wondering:

Layer 4  Off side

In this shot you can see the rump patches which have caused me some wondering grief.  Somehow I did not get any photos of Layer 5.
This is Layer 6, what I started with today (Saturday the 17th).   I only have 2 shots of 6 and they were both taken outside.  It was a dull overcast day (this is Pennsylvania, what did you expect!) and shows the red effect of the copper Pearl Ex. 

Layer 6 Near, Shot outside

Jypsi the test medallion had only one small test coat of Pearl Ex (on her face), and, as you painters probably know, it all but vanished under the matte sealant.

Always in the back of my mind is the idea of Brasenose under tack.  Naturally I was unable to resist; this is the traditional tack-shooting spot.  He has worn stuff preivously:  a hackamore, a blanket, parts of the Parade Set under restoration on the other space in the room...

Layer 6 Off, Shot outside

After much cogitation I am pretty sure this halter was made by Renee Foust.  But I am not completely certain.  As if I didn't have enough backlogged blog subjects, Brasenose in Tack is another.

Here's Layer 7, back inside again (it is snowing):

Layer 7, Near side

Layers 6, 7 & 8 are building up the middle ranges of his color.  They were mixes of dark brown, red, and what I call fox cinnamon.  I'm currently following Rachel Mitchell's advice about adding Pearl Ex to every layer, but I'm also putting on Pearl Ex by itself on the lighter parts:  the gaskin area, the neck, the end of the tail, parts of the face etc.
The face is the hardest, by far.  It's clear that there are simply years involved in learning to paint a Trad scale face.  The only thing I knew was that I wanted a bronze nose, but until today I didn't know how much of one.

Layer 7  Off side

As I write this, Layer 9 is drying, with its darker saddle areas.  He's going like the wind.  I feel that another dark layer will see me to such details as stockings and eyes.  That's for another, fresher time.

Layer 8 Near side

Right now I'm so astounded I've made it this far on this exquisite creature it will be a wonder if I get to sleep tonight.