Loving my cadmium reds and oranges, I used a palette knife to apply them in bold strokes, rising up as if in flames. I added some alizaron crimson for depth, and some cadmium yellow light above the flames.
Using a brush, I painted the whole background in parchment, blending it with the other colors around the edges. Then I brushed on highlights in titanium white.
Next I added touches of pthalo green and burnt umber for contrast and shading. Then I went back in with the brush and the knife to get the feeling I was looking for.
A few days later, I decided more was needed and drew lines in burnt umber. I used my finger to blend and soften the lines. I think this painting has more impact now, but time will tell whether I need to work on it again.