My stream of drawings now contains only feet. I've been so preoccupied with feet that I only now notice that I've put the hands on backwards.

         The task at this stage is the placement of the figures. The colors are far from final. These are the underpaintings for the figures -- you can still see through them. I just want to get them on the canvas -- the finishing coats come later.

       The population increases and seems to want to be larger than I had originally planned. When I was a student I would try to save an image or a technique for my next painting. When I gave that up and put everything a painting wanted into every painting, I was more satisfied with the result. This painting definitely wants more figures.

      The figures are becoming the pervasive element in the painting, like the butterflies in the Butterflies painting. So I continue to need more figures and poses - and I have to see them in paint before I can tell if they'll work.

      I'm still looking at new poses.

        Although useful, this latest series of figure studies have been difficult because I'm anxious to return to the big painting.

        So far the painting has developed at its edges. It is time to move to the center. I now estimate the painting will need 500 figures.

         In a moment of synchronicity a faint circle of figures forms in the center. In the midst of chaos choreography happens.

        I now want to connect these inner figures to the others. Interconnection is one of the sub texts of the painting. I'm going to Italy to look at some ceilings. I'll be back in two weeks.

        Back from vacation, I didn't get a thing done this week. I am definitely inspired by the art I saw in Italy. The ceiling of the Barberini Palace in Rome and the ceiling of the church of St. Pantalon in Venice particularly stand out.

        One of my colleagues succinctly summed up his painting method, "First you draw it. Then you paint it." I'm drawing directly on the canvas now because with the increased population, if I paint a preliminary painting for each, I'll never finish. Next I'll paint it.

         I'm painting in the figures- they are rough, the wrong color and the wrong value. Plus the poses need adjustments. I want to get all the figures in before I go back and make all the necessary changes. It's hard for me to not to fix a mistake when I see it. But I know the painting will take longer if everything has to be right before I can move on. A subsequent layer in the future will come to my rescue.

         I have got to stop counting. There are 360 flying people so far. I need to paint something else for a while. I think I'll work on the marble.

        As a relief from painting the figures, I'm painting some of the patterns in the marble columns. It's an arduous job, one that I would normally have done later. I like to make the bigger changes first when I can.

       Couldn't stay away. I can almost see the painting and I gotta have it. So I'm drawing a crowd.

       Now I'm painting a crowd, still just the first coat.

        How many people are enough? This is better but I still need more.

        Without my conscious intention, personalities emerge even this early in the underpainting. This man is dancing to his own separate choreography. And why is this man smirking?

        More personalities: This couple is practicing swing dancing. These are the mischievous twins, up to no good.

        The closer I get to my vision, the more energy I have (and need) to reach my goal. The energy is always in the idea.

        As with any party there will be some who always come late.

       Now for the first time I look at the painting without thinking it needs a lot more figures. This is almost enough.

       I'm testing various types and colors of ivy on cellophane laid over the canvas.

       I made 21 tests for the ivy only to have the answer be, none of the above. When the ivy got off the cellophane and on to the canvas it had ideas of its own (smaller and tighter).

       With the inclusion of the ivy, I no longer have new things to add to the painting. Now I just have to go back and make everything I already put in, better. I start with the tuba woman.

       I’m cleaning up the drawing of the figures and altering their colors as I have here with the reaching man.

       Second coat on the twisting woman. Still don’t like her face.

       I’m starting on the outside and will work inward to coordinate my colors. The first couple is next.

       I seem to be doing a lot of redrawing as I put on my subsequent layers of paint. As a section rests between layers, it reveals its needs, as in this woman's face.

       I've changed the facial expression on this guy and this couple. I'll probably change them all.

        The second tier of figures begins here.

       I chose brass and violins for the musical instruments because they were handy but now I see how they have served to extend the spectrum of the people's personalities.

       The woman with the bun was the best of the under paintings but even she must go, for the sake of the color coordination. I don't know if I've done her better in the second coat.

        Originally I had planned to paint the faux frame to look like stone but after seeing the Italian Renaissance palaces, I realized you can never use too much gold.

        The progressive steps in the potted plants so far.

        Back to the figures.

        I've got over a thousand figures all of which need a second coat. Some will want a third.

        It's going to be figures for a while.

        I'm still doing the second coat on the figures-painting a crowd.

        I had to take a break from all the flesh. I painted yet another whirlpool.

        The crowds are getting bigger.

        Now I need to stand back and see what I've got- and then prepare myself for the final exertion. The end is in sight.

        I'm just fixing mistakes. Tune in next week for the final episode.

        I look back and see the changes from my initial vision. The process of discovering the image is an exciting and often surprising one. The biggest surprise was the increase in the number of figures. The original drawing had 40 figures. The final painting has around a thousand. The amount of work also increased but it was worth it because the image improved. The painting defined itself. I can finally see what it should look like and what I wanted.

        It is important now to change my focus from finding mistakes to seeing what I have actually painted. When I can manage to do this, I am pleased with what I have done.

        Comments or questions are welcome. Email