We keep old tin around to use for various things, even if it isn’t fit for a roof. I actually like old tin for the character it imparts to interior decor or anything else creative. I’ve seen frames made from it that I love and one day plan to make some of my own frames. But that’s so far down on my to-do list that it may never happen.

We have a sheet of it acting as the door on our old shed. The same old shed that I’ve been painting a portrait of for the past many months. I should just go on and say that I’ve been working on it for the entire year.

Beat up old tin

The actual sheet that’s on the shed in real life isn’t too rusty or beat up. But I decided to take artistic license in my painting and give it a door full of that old tin character, with a bit more aging than the real one has.

What’s the next step?

Even though I’m almost done with this, there are a lot of small details that still need to be done. First, I’ll finish adding the ‘old wood’ look to the rest of the boards right of the door.

Then there are some more grasses to add that can’t be done until the shed is done. I also will add more shading and shape to the roof. Parts of it might get the old tin treatment again, and maybe a little beating up, too.

I decided to leave the gate off of the stall. It’s there in real life, but will mess with the balance of the scene if I include it.

So after the details, the painting will FINALLY be done. Adding the wood grain to the boards takes time. I’m using a very fine brush, cut down to only a few strands of bristle so I can get the very fine lines it needs. The same tiny brush is used on the old tin once the background color is in.

Other shading and textures on the boards I do with a stiff short bristle brush and they go much faster.

Once the painting is done, and dries thoroughly, I’ll oil it in again to saturate the colors where it has absorbed into the canvas. And after that dries, I’ll sign it and then varnish once the signature dries.

So, it’ll probably actually be the end of the year before it’s complete.

What’s taking so long??

This is my first painting of this size that has taken so long. Some of that is because the work is tedious. Some is because I am not getting good blocks of time on a regular basis to work on it. With my real estate work, my artistic work has suffered. One day I hope to get a better balance of time for doing both. But that day has not arrived yet.