Blue Flames Consuming the Stylized Image of a Woman (study)

This painting is a small study of a larger painting under the same title. I actually could not think of a good name for the work, and so came up with a kind of literal description 'Blue flames consuming the stylized image of a woman'. The larger work which is 22x30", was turned down by the gallery in London, to my dismay, and so I went home and changed it all around. I should put up the large version some day.

To make the fire, I used a combination of wet and dry techniques. First I blend different shades of blue together with some orange, and when it dries I drag a brush loaded with paint gently over the surface of the picture, creating the textured fire effect.

Blue Flames Consuming the Stylized Image of a Woman (study), watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, 2002 (No. 1678a)