COOLING OFF

I think I have finished this painting of this gorgeous longhorn bull standing in the water. I finished painting the 2 longhorn cows across the stream. I then proceeded to paint the water and paint out most of the water growth. I put some water foliage in but just enough to catch the viewers attention. I did not want to overpaint the water, as the photo indicated, with excess water plants and grass because all that busyness interfered with admiring the bull, which is after all, my main objective. I also painted waterlines among the foliage and the bull to indicate some motion in this stream. Although, the photo did not indicate any foam or other water markings, it is always good to remember that water beds (streams, brooks, lakes, rivers, etc. are not stagnate, i.e., it is always going to be in motion of some degree.

Besides, a balance of it creates aliveness in the painting. Subtle movements from animals such as a swishing of the tail, a tenseness in muscle, position of pose, etc. always adds aliveness to a painting.

Now onward and upward to painting the two longhorns making a splash in an otherwise “another longhorn day”, just munching grass or lying down staring out over the horizon.