Started with just the figure, but then I decided it would make a nice matching piece to Moonbathing, and so set about creating the background accordingly to make an almost-mirror shape with the branch. I've never been too fond of absolute symmetry because I find it makes for boring compositions. So toss in a bit of variation.Going to have to limit myself to more standard colors for this one however, as it'll be going into Dreamscapes as a step-by-step.
Speaking of sun...I could use some this morning. It's freezing here! Makes it hard to hold a paintbrush.
"Sun Worship"...the other thing that title brings to mind, is Lake Merrit nearby with all the cormorants. They love to perch along the strings of buoys that criss-cross the lake. Long rows of birds with the wings outstretched to dry, necks straining up towards the sun. Dana and I always laugh that they look as if the hordes are praying to the sun.
Yay... I'm excited about this one already. It's going to be good!
ReplyDeleteI like the male/female aspect. I always think of the moon as female and the sun as male. I probably picked that up from some folklore somewhere. ;)
Yeah it seems to usually be that way. I can't think of very many of the flip. There's the Japanese Amaratsu as the sun goddess. Can't think of any Moon gods though.
ReplyDeleteMe being a Super Nerd for mythology and folklore, I seem to remember a folk tale from my childhood where the moon was male. Think it might have been Mongolian or possibly Indian. As you can tell, the details are fuzzy now! Did some googling to see if I could do a brain refresh and found:
ReplyDelete"The word moon is also of Germanic origin, where it was (and still is) Der Mond, referring to a 'male' moon. Infact, in all Indo-European cultures the sun was originally a goddess and the moon a male god, something that was reversed with the advent of the patriarchy." - Pagan Astronomy There are several examples of male moon gods on that page; not the one I'm thinking of though D'OH!
Thanks for that information Poppy!
ReplyDeleteI cant wait to see this one finished I love seeing your work before you paint it ^^
ReplyDeleteI suppose it would've been a little difficult, too, to match the title of Moonbathing with Sunbathing.
ReplyDeleteWell at least that random thought when I first saw this made me giggle somewhat. Ha! It's a lovely piece though I am partial to the moon in so many ways.
The cormorants sound like an amusing sight. We mainly just have power lines full of doves and blue birds here who like to spy on me walking my dog.