INSPIRATION
googled playful endangered species. Many animals have reputations for being playful especially when they are young. I settled on red pandas.
Species information and endangered status. More info about red pandas.
Smithsonian National Zoo has videos of these animals in action.
Strategy: make sure to guard those white areas!
CREATION-
- I started with the image of three pandas.
- Started from the ground up. Indicated branches, began to rough in the bodies on the left. Got lost trying to lay out the composition.
- Started over from the top down. Made the background green and tried to leave white space, but I feel lost again. Simplify? Did some more surfing and found THIS IMAGE.
- That was a much happier process. I started with the face: eyes and nose. (The nose is larger than I wish and working with black can’t be corrected. I painted some of the fur on their face, trying to guard the white areas. From there I painted branches.
- I painted the background by covering an area with water and then dabbing in green. I like that technique.
- I spent some time working on the ears, using gray paint and leaving a bit of white.
- I deepened the orange in the face and used a mixture of brown and black on the body.
- I added bright green to the foliage especially around the ears and other edges of the body.
INSIGHTS
- What surprised me?
- Having difficulty putting in a three-panda layout.
- How much fun I have – especially with colors.
- When things change from joy to judgment to joy (and so on).
- What have I learned?
- The technique of wetting the paper and then adding color. Now I want to remember to use it!
- What do I want to learn?
- Better ways of using and creating black or alternatives to it. I always regret using it. Many animals include black in their coloring.
- Skillful use of black example. (Embrace the drips; nice use of color.)
- Better ways of using and creating black or alternatives to it. I always regret using it. Many animals include black in their coloring.
- Indigo instead of black on red panda. (Indigo; don’t overwork.)
- How to avoid overworking. (I know this, but don’t do it. I am lost in the enthusiasm/determination to make it work. Watercolor doesn’t like layering. It likes mixing in water – hence the name.)
- Thoughts about the theme.
- Painting puts me in a flow state. Body and mind are united. Time flexes. I lose flow when I judge what I’m doing.
- Almost always if I am learning, I am having fun.
- Almost always if the arts are involved, I am having fun.
- Almost always if nature is involved, I am having fun.