The Nativity: Getting There

So it has been a WHILE since my last post but I thought I would show my progress over the past month or so. I haven't been able to give this painting the attention I would like to, but I still seem to be plodding along. 

First I had to build the canvas and then apply a thick layer of gesso

Then I traced my original drawing onto the gesso'ed canvas. This is the first time I've done it this way and I have to say I was pretty pleased with the result.

After the image was traced onto the canvas, I washed it with thinned burnt umber and then painted in the mono-chromatic under-layer with burnt umber

Here you can see some color now entering the scene. 

Like how the Christmas tree and stockings are subtly in the background? Ironic much? It has actually been really cool getting to work on this during the season of Advent. I get to reflect on and wonder at the mystery of the Nativity for hours at a time.