After completing the jellyfish painting in mixed media, I wanted to do a similar piece as I enjoyed the process of loose painting and using a variety of techniques and materials to create with. According to Japanese legend, if a koi succeeded in climbing the falls at a point called Dragon Gate on the Yellow River it would be transformed into a dragon. Based on that legend, it became a symbol of worldly aspiration and advancement.
My initial concept was wind over water and how it moves the surface and distorts what is beneath. Here, wind is more the norm than the oddity, so there was lots of past experience and visuals to go by. I started with pasting tissue onto a 15" x 30" panel, allowing it to ripple and crumple at will. I added gloss gel to hold to the surface and give some stiffness to the crumpled tissue.
From there I simply added colour in oils and started putting form into these koi fish. There was no preconceived idea of what I wanted when I started, it just seemed to evolve until the 'aha' moment arrived and I knew where I was going with this. I want the fish to be 'in' the water as opposed to floating on the surface, as can often be the case in some watery paintings, so am working on subduing some colours and allowing others to be brighter as they are closer to the surface and the light.
There's still more layers before I can call it complete, but its doing what I want it to at the moment.
8 comments:
Jeanette, I love this! The textures are wonderful. I am really looking forward to seeing the finished piece.
Thanks Christiane. I'm enjoying creating this piece, its quite freeing and different from the Wasp Jar.
The texture adds to the water effect I think.
This is so cool-looking! Bravo!
Absolutely love these!
This is a great painting and the fact that it is really just going were the painting moment takes it is--- perfect.
The texture of this one adds to the watery effect and ripples :)
Tracy, thank you. It is different from what I usually do.
Dapper, thanks, fish seem to becoming my comfort zone now. :)
Artbyrae, sometimes paintings just tell you what to do. This is one of them. Thanks for commenting.
Rhonda, the texture of the tissue really worked out well in this I think to give that wind-rippled water feel.
lovely texture :D the fish scales do shine on this
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