Frog Outlook
10"x14"
Sold

I took this painting to Waverly House to be in the gallery for Meet the Artist Night. It sold before it hit the wall.  This painting started with a quick drawing of the frog and then wet -into-wet painting for the background. The bubbles were made with dropping alcohol from a tipped bottle into the wet paint. 

The challenges in this painting was establishing the top of the water and the and the water below.  I kept the colors cool on top because of the reflection of light and sky.  The waterline is not straight across here.  This seems to add interest and movement.  I had to work to make the uneven line believable.

 Several of Daniel Smith's pigments are made with minerals from the earth.  They have often have an interesting granulation.  Some of them have a natural sparkle which add more interest.  I have enjoyed playing with these new pigment.

I find this kind of painting difficult.  Much of it is controlled happy accident.  I have to push, pull, add, and subtract to fabricate the background.  There is no reference material, accept for the frog.  I have gotten good at painting from life.  Painting from ideas in my head are more challenging.  The painting has to lead me more with less planning.