Duck Fishing , Reflections of light
“…I also covered the water area with a gloss medium to create a glossy under glow enhancing the reflections of light quality on the water.”
This Reflections of Light, Duck Fishing painting came to life through the details in the reflection of light. Each area of the canvas had it’s own unique combinations of shadows and highlights. Some areas had quiet dark shadows with overlapping bright green reflections in the water and others where swirling around with white ripples surrounded by dark splashes. I did not concentrate on any one single area of interest. I moved around my canvas searching for the overlapping shadows and highlights trying to put all the puzzle pieces together. Then I would step back and squint my eyes and check to see if they were balanced enough to give the impression of a duck swimming and fishing on the water.
This close up look at the brush work in the “Duck Fishing” painting shows the number of different shades that make up the shadows and highlights. As well as the different sizes and directions of the brush strokes.
(Can You find where this close up look of the painting is located?)
I used approximately ten brushes in a variety of sizes to create the smooth textured surface of the water. I needed to mix new colours with the brushes as I was painting to quickly create new shades because of the intricate shadows and highlights. To create the smooth watery texture I used the art painting techniques of sweeping the larger brushes up and down and across the paint.
This next photo shows the reflections of the trees in the water. Unlike the “Mr. Turtle ” painting we do not see the actual trees but just a double reflection of light in the water. The top reflections are undisturbed by the ripples in the water unlike the bottom reflections which are almost whipped away by the waves.
I began the details of the painting with the duck and the surrounding ripples in the water. Layering shadows and highlights. This art painting technique creates depths of perspective. The activity in this section of the painting, including the reflections of light on the water, are influenced by the ripples made as the duck dives down for his catch.
“Duck Fishing” is the second painting in a series of three. I found my source images for this series while walking through the wetland reserve at the Île Bizard Ecoforest Corridor in Québec last summer.
I used acrylic paint for the under-painting shown here. I also covered the water area with a gloss medium to create a glossy under glow enhancing the reflection of light quality on the water. I like to use the acrylic paint for my under-paintings because the colours are more vibrant and often shine through the oil top coat.