I had painted the Canada Geese a few times before. Back in 2003, before I started to actively pursue painting, I did a family portrait of Canada Geese using water color. In fact I used that painting as my litmus test. That was the permission I gave myself to find teachers who could show me how to paint.
Eight years later, I want to try my luck again at using Canada Geese as my main characters. I am intrigued by the long black necks of the geese. Their necks telegraph so much motions and emotions. Sometimes agitated, sometimes embracing; sometimes curious, sometimes alarmed; yet always interesting. I thought their necks represent a perfect challenge to depict using Chinese calligraphy strokes. I would need to find a way to "write" their necks with meaning and strength. It is with this intent that I embark on my new journey.
First I worked up a general sketch. I've done a painting on zebras ( see my Horsing Around with Stripes blog) and I liked the general composition of that painting. I am going to arrange my birds in that array again.
I worked up another model employing colors that reminded me of patina. I defined the bodies as if they were commas, dashes and dots.
Well, that looked interesting but somehow it lacked the wow factor. I know this was just a quick model, but I can't put my fingers on the missing link.
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