I just put the finishing touches on this painting. It features Kingfisher Bay in Queensland, Australia. It was early morning and I was fishing alone on the jetty. The atmosphere was hazy and sunlight was just starting to peer over the mountains.
These subtle subjects are surprisingly tricky. You have to do a lot of work to convey the subject in an interesting way. Anything less and the painting appears bland and flat. You also have less room for error. You can feel the weight of every stroke and color you place on the surface, and you can feel mistakes as they happen. This is why subtle subjects are ideal for learning to control your brushwork and colors. With busy subjects, you can get away with being a bit reckless.
This is also a sentimental subject to me. My dad and I have many fond memories of fishing from this jetty since I was a child. Below is me with a flathead caught (and released) just in front of the pylons. This must have been from 20 years ago now. Jeez! Doesn’t time fly?
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy the painting. If you ever want to learn more, check out 21 Easy Ways to Improve Your Paintings.
Regards
Dan Scott
Draw Paint Academy
PS. I’ll publish more details about how this painting came together on YouTube when I get a chance.
—
What I’m reading: Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act.
