Bright Water 

My inspiration for a painting usually starts when I am out walking in nature with my camera.  Back home, I will scroll through all my photos and invariably one leaps off the screen as I recognise that here is something that I can work from; something which gives me a context, an idea or setting for my composition.  

This is how Bright Water came about.  Early one morning on Mull, I sat and watched this otter fishing with the most beautiful light dancing on the water of the incoming tide.

Morning photograph

I liked the rocks and the reflections on the water but the otter was too interested in his fishing and simply would not pose for me in a suitable position. He was also quite a way off!  Back home I found stock photos and a mounted specimen that I could examine for details of his underlying musculature and other smaller anatomical details; for example, the way in which the wet pelt clumps together.

Sketch and first layers going down

 With a pastel painting, I start with a sketch and a base layer, then build up the picture with layer upon layer of different shades, refinements and detail.

Layer upon layer

The darkness of the background in this painting and its size meant that I had to work from the top left to the bottom right to keep the paper and painting clean. Once complete, the finest of final details are added over the whole picture.

Getting there now

I do not work 8 hours a day, every day, on a picture; this one took over 2 months to complete.  I do hope that the end result captures the silky grace of a beautiful otter in his natural environment with the early morning light reflecting and flashing off the water.

And, finished!

 Fiona