Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Fermata

http://www.shadowscapes.com/image.php?lineid=23&bid=1045

Size: 7x14 inches
Medium: Watercolor, metallic pigments, gold leaf
For prints ($12.75), original painting ($650.00) and detailed closeups, -click here-

In musical terminology and notation, a fermata means to hold a tone or rest beyond the written value. It is a sustained moment beyond that which the meter or rhythm would normally accommodate.
Incidentally, a fermata is also sometimes known as a "bird's eye".

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Some of the in-progress scans and photos of this piece:

Initial sketch. I was scrawling in my sketchbook and the idea took shape as I went. So when I reached the upper edge of my page, I taped another sheet above to keep going.
 Scanned that and modified some aspects in photoshop. I wanted him to be standing on a rise, and so changed the angle of the haunches to better reflect that, as well as some of the lines of face and neck. It's mirror flipped so that I could get a better idea of what changes I needed to make. Sometimes when you look at a piece too much, you no longer see the flaws. Flipping it gives a fresh perspective.
 Finalized sketch on my painting surface. The birds were added just before painting and were not a part of the initial conceptualization. But something was missing and once I added them in, they felt right.
Two days of painting later.
http://www.shadowscapes.com/image.php?lineid=23&bid=1045

8 comments:

  1. absolutely breathtaking, Stephanie!

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  2. What a lovely piece. You are right, the birds really complete it. My two years old loved the peacock! :)

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  3. So so so gorgeous! I love the composition, the white relief, and the green, gold, and blue hues.

    (Is there any chance this might come out in a 17" high print?)

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    1. Thanks Monique! And yes, I've just added the 17" as an option.

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  4. Probably my favorite piece of yours thus far...

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