Stages of "Do You Think We Should Go In?"

The story behind this award winning painting. "Do You Think We Should Go In?" is a title and idea that arose at a neighbor's home.

Ping Pong was an activity that became a serious event with the men in my neighborhood. A Pool Table in the open area did not get so much attention. In the room with the Ping Pong tournament going on, there was a lot of motion. Two of my neighbor's kids were poking their heads into the door, as one looked back at the other; the grandmother of the child (with his back to us) took out her camera and snapped the shot of her grandchild with my next door neighbor's child.

She and I were discussing how it was as if the boy in the front, Samuel, was saying to the little guy in the back, "Judd, Do You Think We Should Go In?" Having to capture the "cute"... I wanted to paint the scene I had envisioned that night.

 I got my hands on a copy of that picture, changed the boring basement with the solitary ping pong table for a kid's enticing fantasy land, and shortened the door to a more "Alice and the Wonderland" feel.

The following are the stages of the painting and a "how to" guide. Stage One of:  "Do You Think We Should Go In?"

I sketched this one out in pencil first. Then did the fantasy background in oil. The red doorway has a medium added on top of it, to appear with a dull shine, like a real door frame paint would look. In real life it stands out as if a coating is on it.

Adding some flesh tone in oil to the boys. Stage Two:

Most of this one is in oil; I wanted a shine to the paint. As far as the steps go, I am using oil paint from here on out. The carpet is a neutral shade, so the rest of the image pops. Adding some highlight and lowlight skin tones. Stage Three:

Adding hair and more details to face. Stage Four:

Adding clothes for colors that compliment each other. Adding expression to the face. Giving life to the little toy car Samuel holds in his right hand. It is the underside of the car with it's black tires showing. However, you can see the red car sides. I felt including the car he was holding gave it some "realism" to this very "surrealism painting". Stage Five:

Adding some brightness to the painting, so it will pop. Stage Six:

Last touch ups added and "Do You Think We Should Go In?" is finished. That is the story behind the painting. Or should I use the quote, "And now you know the rest of the story?" ;-D