The latest painting to graduate from my easel is "Chocolate Martini", a 20"x16" oil on panel painting.  "Chocolate Martini" was one of those difficult paintings that just did not want to cooperate with me for some time.  As you can maybe tell from the candies I chose as I set up this painting earlier this year it was not long after the Christmas holidays.  As normal I started with the background, in this case the draped material, and I just could not get the colors right, the shadows right....you get the idea.  I ended up setting the painting aside and went on to a new painting which is something that I rarely do.  I am just stubborn enough to keep working on a painting until I get what I want.  During my hiatus from this painting I took a color mixing class from Jame Jones at the Scottsdale Artists's School which was a great eye opener for me in regards to some of the issues I often struggle with when painting.  In fact, after taking the class I decided to go back to "Chocolate Martini" and give it another go.  Lo and behold things began to work for me and the fabric drape background came together.  As I began on the martini glass and candies I got an email from Gamblin Oil Paints promoting the use of their metallic paints.  Hmmmmm......candy wrappers and metallic paints.....guess who bought some!  So at long last "Chocolate Martini" came to life.  Happy artist!