Detail: Lemon Twist

Painting the Still Life
Most of these still lifes were done with hand-mulled paint and mediums similiar to the ones the old masters used. They were created in layers in a labor intensive process from carefully controlled set-ups. The process involved careful study of form and shadow and attention to optical phenomenon. Doug believes that the most important growth in the "artist's eye" comes after the painter feels that they can no longer improve the illusion. It is then, through open-minded observation and much reflection that the artist can discover new techniques to include in his arsenal.

Themes
The choice of objects and materials within each of these compositions is not arbitrary and through careful inspection often offers deeper meaning.

Lighting
These still lifes were painted under both bright studio lights and under dim ambient daylight. Just as sculpture changes according to the light that falls upon it, these paintings will retain a sense of light in a dark environment and simultaneously have rich darks when the painting is viewed in a well-lit room. Essentially, the painting reveals different qualities depending on the lighting situation.