Koi fish...... FINISHED!

[inmystudio]

I'm painting this for an art show on the 29th of this month. It is on colour fix paper with a dark grey under painting, art spectrum pastels with a few other brands in the bright oranges and yellows. It is the largest painting I have tried yet, almost a meter long.

All C&C welcome as I still have a long way to go, it is partly from a reference photo and the rest made up :D .

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Apr-2010/210584-fish_for_the_festival_004.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Apr-2010/210584-fish_for_the_festival_005.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Apr-2010/210584-fish_for_the_festival_006.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Apr-2010/210584-fish_for_the_festival_011.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/06-Apr-2010/210584-fish_for_the_festival_015.jpg


Thanks for looking.

Cheers Deb.

[Julie Z]

This is looking really good! There is already a sense of movement in the painting and I really like the way you have painted the tails of the koi fish.
This reminds me of Bali, I took lots of pictures there of ponds full of koi fish and water lilies.
Good luck with the art show!

[jillytis]

This looks great! - really gives me a Summery feeling, can't wait to see the finished piece

[Paula Ford]

It's looking really good so far!

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-Apr-2010/1978-deborah.jpg

[inmystudio]

Thanks Julie and Jilly :D , I must be doing something right if it reminds you of Bali and summer, as Bali has a huge influence on me when painting koi. I'm going back over there in July and plan on taking lots and lots of photos :clap:

I spent a little longer on the fish, the reference photo is (by Ellen in Ont thank you) above the painting, I am mainly using it for light and colour on the lily pads.



http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-Apr-2010/210584-fish_for_the_festival_2_004.jpg

[inmystudio]

Thanks Paula, it looks great cropped!

[Islandgurl]

Looking good so far...I've been tempted to do one of these Koi ponds but I have enough trouble with water let alone putting objects under the surface & make it look believable!.... can't wait to see the finish...nice composition!
Suzanne

[Ruthie57]

Oh this is looking good! You may know I'm s'posed to be doing Koi paintings for Hubby's birthday in May. Haven't had a chance to really get started yet but have all day friday to go at it.
Hmmm, alternatively, maybe you could do them for me and send them on??!!

[Turpintine45]

I love the movement and bright colours keep it going. Jen

[inmystudio]

I'm back............

I still have a long way to go but I'd love some help with the shadow on the big lily pad to the left and also with the composition. Do you think I should put some lily pads in the bottom right corner on one side of the fish?

I had the shadows darker and more pronounced like the ref. photo (I'm only following it slightly) but everyone kept on asking why is it like that :mad: I thought it looked good!! I should of left it now I think it looks wishy washy???


Reference
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/17-Apr-2010/210584-serenity_reference_photo.jpg

Before I lightened the shadows...............

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/17-Apr-2010/210584-serenity_001.jpg

After...................

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/17-Apr-2010/210584-serenity_2_009.jpg

The whole picture................. the colours are richer than shows up here.


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/17-Apr-2010/210584-serenity_2_004.jpg



I like the front two lily pads and still have to work on the others. I'll be back in my studio tonight and just looking at the photos on here helps me see things that need doing.

I think I'm going to make the shadows darker again :rolleyes:

I would love to hear from you guys :D

Thanks Deb.

[bnoonan]

HI Deb,

I have to say it's looking good! If you can, try to take the photo reference you are working from and also your painting and put it into Black and White. Or squint down hard to see the shadows. It may help you define it a bit better.

The Fish are reading very well - a strong sense of movement for them which is good. I also love seeing all your marks at the bottom of the page...makes me smile!

My eye tends to head for the "packman" lily pad dead center. Perhaps one of those edges could be softened but you will know in real life better than me.

I do prefer the darkened shadow stripes on the lily pad to the left and yet you should try it in B&W before you decide to change it back.

All in all - it's looking GREAT! Barb

[Ruthie57]

This is coming on great. Those Fish flow so well through the painting. I don't think they need puffing or roughing up!
From the photo I prefer the before shadows on the lily pad but, as Barb said, look at it in greyscale before you decide whether to change it again. Love the Pacman reference Barb, I remember them well!

[robertsloan2]

This is coming along so great! I love the way the fish glow and have such wonderful depth. I liked the darker shadows on the lily pad -- which could be another way to deal with the Pac-Man lily pad, cast a shadow across it to break up the shape a bit.

[BetsyPriesing]

Deb this is looking great. I also like the darker shadows over the lily pad but I'm not there to see in real life.

As the the thought of adding another in the right corner bottom, I'm inclined to say yes. But I don't think a large one should go there. Perhaps the tiny ones in an arc opposite of the ones that are slightly over the red fish? The slight curve will help to push the eye back into the painting. I like those in that position as they don't over power the fish, but they allow the viewer to understand that that fish is deeper than the surface.
This is a great job!

[inmystudio]

Ok I have spent all morning on this!!

Thanks everyone for your encouragement :)

Barb- I tried grey scale (as close as I can get to it) and it wasn't as bad as I thought but I did still make it a bit darker, as for the 'pacman' lily pad :lol: I'm glad you pointed out how it looked as I would of kept it that shape without realizing.

Ruthie- these little fish have been puffed and roughed over and over again :p I still think they look too dainty for koi but they will do this time round!!

Rob- I'm glad you think they glow I have a lot of trouble with that I always think my work looks powdery and dull :( I'm trying really hard to get that light and dark effect and to give it some sort of depth.

Betsy I was thinking of little lily pads so thanks for confirming my thoughts, I will try them in the arc you suggest, when I get to that side :D


One half almost finished...........


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/17-Apr-2010/210584-serenity_3_012.jpg


Thanks again for looking, hope to have this finished by tommorow :rolleyes:

Cheers Deb.

[Islandgurl]

Hi Deb, Looking good...I find when things start to get chalky it's time for a bit of fixitive to calm it down so you can add pure color again...I liked the darker shadows also...maybe they would read better if you took some artistic license and extended them just a tad more to the fish & lilly pad next to it...I'm assuming these shadows are of grasses? I'm no expert, so feel free to ignore me!!
Suzanne

[inmystudio]

Thanks Suzanne I did darken the shadows but looking at this last photo I think I will go even darker. I'm scared of fixative :eek: every time I use it I do something wrong, but I will need it to work on the shadows, as that area already has soooo much pastel layered. I will have to practice lots on scraps of paper.


I'm almost finished...............

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Apr-2010/210584-serenity_4_003.jpg

This is the mat I am using, I swirled the background to see if I should try and put some movement into it, but I think I will chicken out :o and leave it flat.

I haven't started on the top lily pads and I think I will make the first one a lot smaller, and a few more highlights on the bottom right ones.

I'm all ears for any and all suggestions :wave:

Cheers Deb.

[terri66]

Great movement and it has developed very well.

[inmystudio]

Thanks Terri.

Well I think I'm finished :clap:

Hanging up............. The top photo reads truer for most of the colours but the bottom photo shows the background colours.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Apr-2010/210584-serenity_framed_048.jpg


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Apr-2010/210584-serenity_framed_2_004.jpg


This is outside in the bright sun.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Apr-2010/210584-serenity_framed_002.jpg


It is only sitting in the frame with a couple of tacks, I still have to decided whether to fix it or not :( and clean the glass.

I did darken the shadows then had two people in a row ask what was wrong with 'that leaf' :mad: so I went lighter again :rolleyes:

I have pretty much had it with this one......... but all C&C welcome as I find it it helps so much to learn from other peoples views :D

Thanks for looking Deb.

[Colorix]

Deb, it looks fab in the frame on the wall! Good way to find what needs fixing, too. I'd deal with the leaf in the upper right, it kisses the mat in two places, that's all.

Charlie

[Dcam]

Deb: Wow, you nailed it. What a dynamic composition and I especially like the long horizontal. Colorful and well painted.
Derek

[inmystudio]

Thanks Charlie I kept on looking at that corner but couldn't figure out what annoyed me, I might see if I'm clever enough to bend one side of that leaf forward :p

Derek thank you for your comments :D I feel like I have really achieved something with this painting, I definitely learned a lot along the way.

Thanks for looking Deb.

[tvandeb]

Beautiful, you should be proud!:)

[inmystudio]

Thanks Tammy :smug:

[Ruthie57]

Well done Deborah. It looks great in that frame. The waterlily pads are very good and I see pacman has been improved a lot too! You have certainly nailed how to do fins. They look smashing!
I have a feeling you may be doing more Fish paintings!?

[inmystudio]

Thanks Ruthie, watching yours progress certainly spurred me on! about half way through I thought that I would never paint another fish now I can't wait to start on more LOL

Thanks for looking Deb.

[Shybird]

That's a lovely rendering. I think it would be interesting to see the fins of one of the fish break the surface of the water and cause slight ripples over the black. It is well cropped and has a lot of motion

[Islandgurl]

Looks terrific in the frame,didn't realize how large it was until now!!Nice finish!
Suzanne

[robertsloan2]

Deb, this is so gorgeous! Like the frame too. Beautiful finish!

[inmystudio]

Shybird I agree some ripples in the water would look good and I did try :( but just couldn't make it work so maybe next time.

Thanks Suzzane it is long isn't it !!

Thank you Robert you are always so encouraging.

I got the frame on sale at Target with a print in it for $25.00 AUD. Then I went to two different framers and the cheapest quote for the same size was about $200.00 AUD without the glass!!!.......... so I went back to Target and bought two more frames :D