More Mini's and My Process

I don't know what it is but there is something that really draws me to a well executed, very small painting. I get incredibly inspired by them. Having that in mind I developed a somewhat new process for me. When I am starting a new painting what I do is gather reference first. In this case it was a photo I took on a trip to New York. Then I'll do some small sketches to get the composition down. Then when I have that figured out I'll do a small detailed sketch, usually in pen and ink. That's the sketch above. Then I'll do a small painting, usually in acrylic or watercolor. Then, it's off to the races on the full sized painting. Doing this helps me figure out all the design and color challenges on a small scale so I don't have to deal with them on a large scale. I probably should have been doing this for a long time!