"Tundra Swan Portrait", 8"x10" Oil
Capturing the subtle colors and luminescence of white plumage has always been quite a challenge for me, and were a real struggle at times when I painted only in acrylics. I can say that art panels can soar quite well if thrown in a similar manner as a Frisbee (canvasses are somewhat less aerodynamic when throwing a fit). Regardless, working in oils has opened up new possibilities for me and I really enjoyed working on this piece. Though it is only really visible in person, I used careful stroke direction and painted mostly directly, and the brush strokes create the impression of physical feathers when seen at an angle. Experienced oil painters may not find this novel, but as someone that is fresh to the medium, it's very exciting and new for me!