The Evolution of a Painting

Allt ordnar sig, oil and textile on canvas, 2011

In 2011 I painted this clever looking little figure assuring that everything will work out. Don´t you just frequently need to remind yourself of this; everything will work out in the end?

The other day my brother was celebrating his 50th anniversary and it is customary to bring a gift to the birthday child. I decided to make a painting but I was slow in executing my intention;

a couple of days before the handing over of the gift I got started. 

Painting with oil paints is no quick thing; first you need a canvas of suitable size and grain. Then you have to prepare the surface, in my case I used a "used" canvas so I had to apply two layers of gesso (a mixture quite similar in the consistency of sour cream). 

While the canvas was drying I made some sketches. What I came up with was a rather serious looking young man. 

I traced the sketch onto the canvas and since I was in a hurry I had no time to adjust anything. The serious looking young man morphed into someone else.

To get the nose and lips right (or at least acceptable) I looked at the paintings of Gustaf Lundberg and Alexander Roslin for guidance.

It all works out (in the end), oil on canvas,  2015

I wanted to write something inspiring but I usually use stencils when I put words on my paintings since I am not very good at writing freehand. Unfortunately the time was running out so I did not have time to make new stencils. Incredibly, tucked away in a corner of my studio I suddenly found stencils that I had already cut out in 2011. With a swift hand I finished the painting and now I hear it is hanging on the wall in my brothers apartment.

It all works out in the end...