Inspiration
Because this month is about whimsy, I googled “whimsical animals” and had a good time looking at various styles. I don’t want to put clothes on an animal, but I like the art that plays with colors. This doesn’t answer the “what am I painting” question. I was struck by this small picture of a marten, which brought me to this photo. I like the addition of the tree bark on the left and the flowers on the right. (Note: make the flowers more of a presence.) Here’s a little background on martens.
Creation
I decided to use unexpected colors to add whimsy to this image. (What reads as yellow on the scan looks light green in real life, but I wasn’t sure how to adjust the scan in Photoshop to make it more true to life.) I had a good time with this painting. Choosing different colors released me from trying for accuracy and that left me more planful. As planned, I made the flowers on the right more of a presence in the composition. My husband painted the eyes and nose for me because I couldn’t hold the brush steady enough.
After I scanned the painting, I experimented with adding catch lights in the eyes using Photoshop, but I didn’t like any of my results. (Note to self: buy some white acrylic for adding catch lights?)
Insights
When I approach things in the spirit of play, I relax and have a good time. I let go of judgment. I don’t see downside to this approach. Why not have fun?