I decided to do a painting start to finish and show the steps as I go along.

This is the finished painting >

I start with a line drawing
 

Graphite pencil usually...
This is a 30x24 canvas

The image is a beautiful lap stake
sailboat, just the bow, and I am using
a photograph taken by Kathy Mansfield
from the UK
http://www.kathymansfieldphotos.com
 

2 hours Day 1

First, paint is blocking in shadows
on the hull and a brown wash is added on the sail
to define the deep wrinkles on the fabric.

1 Hour Day 2

Next the background is blocked in.
Note the touch of cobalt blue at the
waterline

The composition really takes on
a dimensional feel from the flat look.

10 Minutes Day 3

More blue shadow enhancement and
a lighter blue wash for the sail....
and lines of burnt sienna form the
wood grain.

1.5 Hours Day 4

Now a wash of yellow ocher and a bit of
gold to pop out the wood and the shadows
have been softened with purple lake,

The rope also gets a light wash of diluted
 Payne's Gray to create dimension

20 Minutes Day 5

A wash of pale creamy white
over the sail area is added with some folds
emphasized with zinc white. Here is where
some mediums can be used to influence the
painting....namely turps with the sail to produce
a dull finish like cloth and Damar across the
wood to add the high gloss of varnish.

Note an oxidized metal strip added to the leading
edge of the bow and the bow cable is now
painted in.

Painting time 30 minutes Day 6

Details in the stitched seams with more
 shadowing and blending. Turnbuckle and eye
completed, more layer on the rope
and the waterline is set

Painting time 1 hour  Day 7

Reflections!
More layering to soften the sail and
details in the rope...
2 Clips added to the forestay...
 

The black background was painted
over with Ivory Black and stand oil which
causes the brush strokes to disappear.

More detail is needed as well as a wash of
Purple Lake in the water to darken and
add depth.

Paint time 2.5 hours Day 8

Purple lake wash to darken the reflections
in the water....Adds depth

Almost finished!

Just need to watch the paint dry
and figure out what else it needs!

Well that's it....

quite a feat when considering that
finishing a painting usually
requires shooting the artist