Capelin season - in progress

Its that time of year again when the capelin roll in on the beaches to spawn and the public make spectacles of themselves watching and gathering them and taking them home.  Some people falling into the cold water, others with scoop nets or cast nets, dogs biting at the water and hoardes of children fascinated by the little silvery fish that cast themselves into their little hands.

Capelin are my favourite fish.  I love their little shiny iridenscent cigar shaped bodies and how they curl and flip before succumbing to net or bucket.  They are the perfect fish for painting.  Small, easy to handle and position for composition and plentiful enough that replacement twins are easily found when they need to take their leave.

So over the last 48 hours the capelin have spawned on local beaches and of course I have to celebrate the season with a painting.  This is the start of a painting of capelin ready to be dredged in flour in a paper sack before heading to the frying pan.  No, I don't eat them, but others do.

So far shape and values are being blocked in and are starting to take form.  the composition is fairly simple, as is the lighting.  Its on a 12 x 12 canvas panel in oils.

But it will have to sit for a couple of days while I head to Ottawa for a few days for work.  Hopefully I'll have another post lined up to roll while I'm away, so stay tuned.