methods - step by step

Artwork © 2009, Scott Gustafson. All rights reserved.

The Art of

METHODS - Step by Step

The finished painting of "The Man in the Moon "

   The "The Man in the Moon," was done in oil on masonite panel,  and it measures 20" x 22."

     Here's how my time broke down on this piece:

     - The drawing for the figurine, including the thumbnails and rough sketches, took approx. two days to complete.

     - Shooting the reference and reworking the drawing for the book took about four days. 

     - Transferring the drawing, creating the color study, and the imprimatura took an additional day and a half.

     - The underpainting took about two days, and from that point until completion took approximately another four days.

     So, from start to finish, "The Man in the Moon" took about fourteen days to complete.

      This original painting has become a part of our private collection, primarily because I used photographs of my late father-in-law, Norman Olson, as the basis for the character. He not only served as a wonderful model for this piece, but for many of the Santa Claus pictures I have done over the years.