Just the Beginning ...

My reference photo, taken two years ago

The sketch

First wash - I painted a wet-in-wet wash over the entire paper, and then did some gentle lifting on the geese.

I would like to create a soft, nebulous background for this, so I am using three colors here - quin. burnt orange, permanent rose and cobalt blue - applying them in a scrumbled manner.

I have always enjoyed Greek mythology and ancient history, so I think this idea was simmering in my head before I realized it. I wanted to create more paintings of geese, so I was going through my reference photos, and this one leapt out at me, along with the title. I am calling it "The Three Muses". They are Aglaea, Euphrosyne and Thalia, minor goddesses who celebrate the beauty, joy and richness of life.
To be continued ...

Thank you for dropping by! Your comments are always welcome.