Hi
I love this picture and the story of how you painted it and your delight at how the colours turned out. Is it for sale please?
Thank you
Carol
Posted by Carol Stephens · via katedardine.com · 189 months ago
Blog
Bird Song
I'm not sure if I am finished with this painting - haven't signed it yet. I started it during Earth Hour, when I turned off all electric lights and painted by candlelight. I was - pleasantly - surprised by how the colors turned out. Much brighter than they appeared while I was painting!
This is the first large painting I've attempted since starting my Painting a Day Project. Those paintings (52 paintings in a little over 52 days) were all 6x8" or smaller. The first thing I remembered is how much more physical painting on a larger canvas is. Instead of most of the movement coming from my elbow, they movement for this painting (40x30") came from my shoulders and hips.
I also challenged myself on this painting to just let go and paint. I was feeling somewhat uninspired as I began this painting. I think really I was a bit intimidated by the size of the canvas. I've painted this big before - and larger - but it has been since the Fall. I'd really gotten used to the little guys, and suddenly, here was this big blank canvas. Since I really didn't know what I wanted to paint, the safe thing would've been to grab one of my little canvases. I sure hate screwing up a big canvas. As "free" as I want to be, the thought of wasting a $85 canvas is always a little nerve-wracking.
But I decided to just throw caution to the wind and paint big. But paint what?? I decided on a vertical orientation - another step out of my comfort zone. I tend to paint horizontal or square. But Saturday night, I went for the "full monty."
The first thing I thought of when contemplating the vertical canvas was trees. So I painted in some quick vertical strokes in ultramarine blue. Then I added some yellow ochre strokes. In doing that, two things happened: I started thinking about and visualizing birds. And, the trees morphed into reeds and dried grasses.
So, out of quiet mind, candlelight and Native American flute music came "Bird Song."
This is the first large painting I've attempted since starting my Painting a Day Project. Those paintings (52 paintings in a little over 52 days) were all 6x8" or smaller. The first thing I remembered is how much more physical painting on a larger canvas is. Instead of most of the movement coming from my elbow, they movement for this painting (40x30") came from my shoulders and hips.
I also challenged myself on this painting to just let go and paint. I was feeling somewhat uninspired as I began this painting. I think really I was a bit intimidated by the size of the canvas. I've painted this big before - and larger - but it has been since the Fall. I'd really gotten used to the little guys, and suddenly, here was this big blank canvas. Since I really didn't know what I wanted to paint, the safe thing would've been to grab one of my little canvases. I sure hate screwing up a big canvas. As "free" as I want to be, the thought of wasting a $85 canvas is always a little nerve-wracking.
But I decided to just throw caution to the wind and paint big. But paint what?? I decided on a vertical orientation - another step out of my comfort zone. I tend to paint horizontal or square. But Saturday night, I went for the "full monty."
The first thing I thought of when contemplating the vertical canvas was trees. So I painted in some quick vertical strokes in ultramarine blue. Then I added some yellow ochre strokes. In doing that, two things happened: I started thinking about and visualizing birds. And, the trees morphed into reeds and dried grasses.
So, out of quiet mind, candlelight and Native American flute music came "Bird Song."
