BORBAY

Twitter shall prevail. Through a Follow Friday recommendation from artist extraordinaire @tonyblacknyc, I connected with the @CIGARINN. After viewing their site, I realized this would be a prime storefront to paint – so I sent them an @ reply prior to my departure, noting “look out for a paint splattered guy wearing a white hat.”

Upon my arrival, Bass, one of the three Fakih brothers (Bass, Gus and Billy) behind the Cigar Inn, was waiting for me. He showed me around, we discussed the business and he graciously offered up any spot I would like to paint inside. After some hard looking, we decided on a view from the back – the same one featured in a recent issue of Cigar Aficionado.

Process, cigars and elegance after the jump.

Setting up the scene – as you can tell, the table in the foreground did not make it into the final piece.

Easel erected, blank 14″X18″ canvas hoisted – time to get down to business.

I am accustomed to working on a larger scale, so I decided to take my time and carefully define the composition.

This piece started at about 1:00 PM and finished a 11:00 PM – so the lighting was constantly in a state of flux.

I was set up in front of a gigantic window alcove, so I had ambient light behind me, in the front of the store, and a warm lighting scheme in between.

With the green under drawing in place and the general measurements decided, it was time for the big black Sharpie.

Phantom table, no legs.

It’s interesting to see the images on the TV behind the easel, have you ever paused a movie mid sentence and seen some of the most beautiful people on the planet look slightly less glamorous?

Most of the objects blocked out. Vanishing point in check.

Drawn.

Considering the complexity of the lighting scheme, I decided to throw down some of the key lights, darks and midtones in orange.

Finally, time to paint. I only had rose red, which made mixing the correct wall color a challenge – damn you cadmium, how did you escape my easel?

Walls are getting there. Red and sexy.

The floor is a cherry oak (I believe), so it had the same tonal values as the wall; I wanted to create the feel with directional strokes.

Floor getting there, with some shadows.

Really pushing around the acrylic on the floor – it’s actually quite flexible.

There is something irresistable about mixing hookers green with red. Incidentally, the hue was named after its creator, and not in fact the profession.

Realizing this painting wasn’t going to be finished until the sun disappeared behind the high rises of Manhattan, I laid down a warm, but darker color for outside.

Filling in the legs.

This is the state where you start to feel like this thing is going to be done, and therefore begin to confidently puff on your delicious cigar and start to feel good about it.

All that remains is the details, and on a canvas of this size, the details make or break the picture.

Painting light, beneath lights.

Pushing light onto the floor.

Painting complete, time to smoke a stoagie with my beautiful woman.

And complete. A special thank you to Bass, Gus and Billy for the incredible hospitality. Over the course of the day, I met some interesting and inspiring people, smoked two fine cigars and painted to a variety of classical, jazz and new wave. Up next, the facade of Cigar Inn at night – larger canvas.