Acrylics and collage on canvas
40cm x 40cm
It startet with a sketch of a photo of Sari and Valteri taken by Saris husband Henkka. I love the composition of the scene. It’s something very peaceful and serene about the way Sari stands over Valteri, letting him test the water, and at the same time protecting him from all harm. The lake gives dreamy reflections of them as they stand in the water, surrounded by a fairytale like summery forrest. I am trying to pause the moment. I guess the camera already has done, but only the brief millisecond of it. It feels like I am allow to stretch out time when i paint the scene. I am in it, the forest, the peacefulness, the green. Can you hear the birdsong and the gentle splashing of water? In the middle of a dark January evening, I am allowed to dream of warmer and brighter days to come.
What did I learn?
The photo shows the shades a lot darker and warmer than the original painting. I originally painted the skin shades in a green tint:
“In the future i will make the colour more gray than green, this gives a nicer and warmer expression. The green becomes a bit severe“. I am glad i listened to this thought and revisited the shade colour and background. I did feel a slight unease when i looked at the painting, for this reason. I am learning to trust my gut instinct. When I now look at the painting, the unease is gone, it feels finished.
Painting in the evening, without a daylight lamp is a bad idea. In the daylight, the colours look totally different.The above photo is taken with my mobile, just so i can post it quickly. For the final painting, i spent some time taken proper photos with my old canon 400D camera, outside on an overcast day. I know i keep writing that i need to take proper photos of my work, and not paint after dark. Seems like I need better control over my lack of patience and control my impulses. Impulse control, the new word of 2019?