18” x 24” acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas
Unframed
The feathers of this swan made such a beautiful texture with their varying ivory, white and taupe tones, that I couldn’t wait to translate them to canvas. Also, I was so drawn to the small, luminous spots where single feathers let so much light through that they appeared to be glowing.
By starting with the darker shadow tones and working my way up to the lighter highlights, I built up many layers of brushstrokes, constantly alternating between light and medium tones to really capture the soft, layered feeling of the feathers. For the reflection in the water, I centered my focus on just making marks where I saw colors, rather than trying to create a “reflection.” I feel like this gave the water a sense of movement, which was in contrast to the serene, stillness of the swan itself.
To me, this painting feels like a portrait of a woman. It makes me think of all the underlying thoughts and feelings a woman is mentally processing at any given moment, while outwardly presenting as calm and composed. As a mother, balancing laundry, groceries, dinners, etc, this piece really speaks to me. I imagine this painting perfectly placed on a buffet or sideboard with a flower arrangement, or over a reading chair with a cozy blanket, or centered over an inviting bathtub.
18” x 24” acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas
Unframed
The feathers of this swan made such a beautiful texture with their varying ivory, white and taupe tones, that I couldn’t wait to translate them to canvas. Also, I was so drawn to the small, luminous spots where single feathers let so much light through that they appeared to be glowing.
By starting with the darker shadow tones and working my way up to the lighter highlights, I built up many layers of brushstrokes, constantly alternating between light and medium tones to really capture the soft, layered feeling of the feathers. For the reflection in the water, I centered my focus on just making marks where I saw colors, rather than trying to create a “reflection.” I feel like this gave the water a sense of movement, which was in contrast to the serene, stillness of the swan itself.
To me, this painting feels like a portrait of a woman. It makes me think of all the underlying thoughts and feelings a woman is mentally processing at any given moment, while outwardly presenting as calm and composed. As a mother, balancing laundry, groceries, dinners, etc, this piece really speaks to me. I imagine this painting perfectly placed on a buffet or sideboard with a flower arrangement, or over a reading chair with a cozy blanket, or centered over an inviting bathtub.
