"Cyclops" (9x12 oil on panel) painting process & animation

Another one for this morning. I picked up this old floodlight at a flea market in Paris. It was just begging to be painted. This was the second time I used it in a still life (I'll share the first painting eventually). Here is "Cyclops" (9x12 oil on panel), and the painting stages below.

The setup. The bulb area of the floodlight will be the primary focal point, with the onion as a secondary focus:

First stage. Some thoughts: There are easier ways to draw a circle. One could use a template or a compass or a roll of tape or something. But I'd be missing out on an opportunity to exercise my "eye" and my drawing skills. Drawing is drawing. So honing my eye with a simple geometrical shape will translate to drawing anything else. While the end result won't be a perfect circle, carefully chiseling away and adjusting this shape throughout the painting is time well spent. I start with large angles (an octagon) and keep breaking it down, wiping away the excess bits:

Next stage:

Next stage:

Next stage. I want the bulb, the foremost part of the cord, and the onion to be in sharp focus, with everything else receding:

Next stage:

Next stage:

Next stage:

I feel that the warmth and darkness of the vase is starting to become too prominent. It's taking away some of the focus from the lamp and onion. I decide to knock the vase back.
And the finished painting:

"Cyclops" (9x12 oil on panel)

And here is an animation of the process. (if you enjoy these little gif animations, I posted another one yesterday):

Thanks for reading! -David

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