I rarely show you a work in progress but here is one. It is an under-painting so it is rough. In some places, the background colors will be used to create light/ shadows while in other places I will glaze in shadows and highlights.

It is of the USCG in Haiti while providing relief. I am using several photographs. The main image I am using has a big, yellow sleeve(?) in the front right corner. I am replacing the sleeve with a child and am also removing some of the background people who really have nothing to do with this guy laughing with the children. They are from a private photo collection so I don't have to worry about other COGAP artists choosing the same image. As an aside, the guy in the photo was specifically brought to Haiti because his family is from Haiti and he speaks the language. He learned while he was there that his aunt and a few other family members were killed in the earthquake. He also adopted a Haitian orphan. Since the child he adopted is a little girl, I thought putting a little girl in the foreground was appropriate. Don't know if you can see, but I have another little boy sketched in behind the Guardian. I am going to use a third image for the background.

It is difficult to paint. It was 99 degrees today and the acrylic paint dries out far to fast- no matter how much I mist it with water or a medium meant to keep it from drying out. I might have to bring everything inside until I get to the final oil glazes.