Porthtowan, Work in Progress: Beginnings, edges, and how it looks this Friday evening

There's still a fair bit to do, but this is the current state of my really big painting of Porthtowan. I'm working my way down towards the village, which will be a challenge. Godrevy lighthouse is there - just - and I haven't forgotten that there is a chimney on the skyline.

Porthtowan is a large subject, and I'm remarkably fortunate that my client wanted it on a large canvas. His deposit paid for the 80 x 200 cm stretched canvas to be made. I got it delivered direct to my studio as it's too big to fit in my car (and definitely too big to carry on my bicycle!).

I started off with a dribbly, watered-down-acrylic under-painting.
Then I painted the edges. They are 4 cm deep (the only wooden-stretcher option at this size; I imagine that the extra width is required for stability), which makes not-framing a reasonable option, so we decided it was best to paint them - and it's easier to paint them in acrylic before applying the oil paint.

So I found a big bit of floor and used some of the cardboard that the canvas arrived in the protect the carpet. The base coat was ultramarine/burnt umber/titanium white grey, over which I dribbled some watery acrylic colour...

I let this dry and started trowelling on the oil paint the next day.