08-14-2013, 08:25 PM
I'd recommend doing a value sketch first to nail the fundamentals of the image before committing to colour and effects. Don't jump all in right away; build up your comp, values and depth, and perspective first. These are the things that will make the painting successful. While you're at it do a few different comp ideas to pick the best ones, unless your goal is to stick to the reference pretty closely, in which case you may as well do that and setup everything more as it is in the picture.