I found these process photos buried in an old folder on my laptop that I thought you Steemians would enjoy! Well, I did anyway. Took me back to one of my favorite paintings. I was working on my "False Perceptions" series that was my senior thesis for my BFA at Missouri State University in 2013 (you can find the post I wrote about the whole series on Steemit last summer [here](https://steemit.com/art/@christiesnelson/celebrating-the-weird-false-perceptions-paintings)). I was exploring how we make quick judgments of other people from the surface. I picked some of my boldest friends to model for me for this series. This is my buddy, Adam :) ![Harvard Graduate_Christie Snelson.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVcwqmK858uHrUuP1By4shGTRFkHkP7MpLxwCTaXPs41n/Harvard%20Graduate_Christie%20Snelson.jpg)*Harvard Graduate* | 36"x48" | oil on canvas ___ For these paintings, I was still on my paint-directly-from-reference part of my artistic journey that I've been talking about in my recent posts. That means in order for my ideas to come to life I had to stage them and photograph them first. This is one scenario that I will remember forever. I requested Adam wear the snorkel and flippers while holding my other friend's dog in a shark costume, and he chose his clothes. We went to a gas station nearby and I went in to tell the clerk what we were doing so no suspicion arose. Then the photoshoot began! I had a couple people also take pictures while we were there and the employees where chuckling watching from the window. It was a moment that made shy-self come out of my shell a bit and also realize how art and vibrance can brighten a day. ![IMG_8491.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmdRMWAwmVX8uj1rScovM92PfVuwyPdNhP1dXKBy1gbk95/IMG_8491.JPG) And then to take the image back to the studio. I was under the instruction and guidance of Duat Vu who taught me this method of laying down lines to find proportions and strengthen composition. At the time, I literally drew them down to help with the process (my brain just does it automatically now). ![IMG_0812.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmSqtXSVztCyzk1ZuHPEK8mMnMSKQNiHTX5c3b7z9VGRe8/IMG_0812.JPG) Then the underpainting... ![IMG_0814.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmTgYNWyg7pW4ModbCqEMApiQzoKqLydVzPcUYKPyBVNW4/IMG_0814.JPG) ![IMG_0815.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmYCe59KLcuKXRGAUJwpXEn18ojZSN9McEzCuRFqE7PRzs/IMG_0815.JPG) ![IMG_0818.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmXy6zitLQe2HfqES8vqR6QpuyLpmb4bxGtu1fRkma8uC8/IMG_0818.JPG) ![IMG_0821.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUUUJro14AKgDvqmTiVRjSqH7HCL3uLZNS9Bg1Chkz9uf/IMG_0821.JPG) Color! Yes, please! I loved working in that studio space so much! I only wish they would have let us stay later at night! :) ![IMG_0830.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmcvpmbyAQiLjggtavjkjr9pB6LdbVYUUvUFFyDrWfrnXu/IMG_0830.JPG) Duat suggested changing up some colors, so I went with the yellow jacket, pink gas station pump, purple car, and yellow jacket. They needed to be vibrant to help support the theme, and I was just dipping my toes into color theory. ![IMG_0928.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPx44VK2HudMeDStLkojoX1shfN9o9zNy9eTaEtm1Abe3/IMG_0928.JPG) ![IMG_0962.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmSe4qj86L5GvH2uzvS9GBSiMUNhv7bqu3XtMU6KiGChni/IMG_0962.JPG) FINAL ![Harvard Graduate_Christie Snelson.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVcwqmK858uHrUuP1By4shGTRFkHkP7MpLxwCTaXPs41n/Harvard%20Graduate_Christie%20Snelson.jpg) It really is so different seeing paintings that have been in the studio so long on the gallery wall. Still a feeling of accomplishment that compares to no other. On display at Brick City Gallery for my BFA exhibition. ![brick city_bfa exhibition_christie snelson.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmRXGX1VNrnUCAVUncxnsDnwZP2KhdNxVKnLafCH2eG77J/brick%20city_bfa%20exhibition_christie%20snelson.jpg) He now resides in one of my favorite local taphouses. Adam told me he had brought a couple dates there since haha! ![IMG_6238.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmSQs36tfPcBLfdTBLtwuC7PxoMM5kwfTBbN2f7ycCaYdc/IMG_6238.jpg) Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for looking! ![christie snelson sized copy.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPdJKvUPYgz77SDJCVLz43cUjYpvVuZHTGLB6c3QYpCFh/christie%20snelson%20sized%20copy.jpg) [www.christiesnelson.com](https://www.christiesnelson.com)