Compass Painting

I’ve really been enjoying painting old tools for the past year and a half.  I do love the old wear and character that each tool exhibits.  I have found that prepping each tool before it becomes an oil painting is important.  This includes cleaning up the tool and making sure it shines in just the right spots.  So I do polish it up slightly but not too much or else I risk loosing that antique charm.

This still life painting of a compass had some nitpicky details, more-so than I was used to painting.  I spent a lot of time with my liner brush on this one!  One of the aspects of this tool that attracted me was the combination of metals.  I liked how the different brass parts contrasted against the other metal.