A Carp of Substance ... or ... I Think It's Done

 

Both photos are at the same stage, I just played with the iPhoto adjustments differently.

   Firstly, I would like to thank all of you who follow my blog, and who commented on the progression of this painting. I honestly don't believe I would have pushed myself to put a shadow down around the carp; nor would I have shaded its body to give it roundness and depth. It has made it a much better painting! Again, thank you all, and all criticisms are welcome.

   Now, onto another perspective of Carmella.

The Carpster

   It took a bit of "intestinal fortitude" to get to the point where I could lift some of what I'd done to create the illusion of ripples on the water surface. I marked it off with a dinner plate on the outside, then measured off the inside circles. I did it in an irregular manner, to get more of a look of reality. I also darkened the orange of the face, and some of the scales.
   I think what is left to do is to give the body more depth with some form shadow, and darken the pectoral and tail fins. What do you think needs doing?

The Carpoholic ...

 ... as of now

 I have it ... a plan for the water. I've done another sort of pour, with cobalt blue on the right and around the fish, and indanthrone blue on the left and around the entire perimeter. The carp needs more darkening/detail work. I may do some more indanthrone on left, and then I will create ripples from the lower right.












 

The Basics Are Done ... Now ...

The plan

The finicky sketch

First "pours" of aureolin & quin. burnt orange

Some more aureolin, & indanthrone blue

Tone some of it down with burnt orange

Color on carp - aureolin, burnt orange & cobalt blue

   I've never painted a carp before now, and it seems almost all watercolorists do a carp sometime. So here I go ...