Acrylic and Charcoal on Canvas, 400×300. First experiment in using “Liquid White” as a medium. Probably the last one, too.
Inspired by a photo of a friends dog (Bandit) walking on a muddy path, the shadow of the dog was reflected in a puddle. My friend (C), an accomplished photographer who really should display his work, captured a nice contrast across the scene with grass on the left, mud and puddles on the right. Although he was on a leash, Bandit always seems to have a look of fluid speed and motion in photos. I hasten to add that Bandit was the inspiration for the scene, but I cannot in good conscience say that it is Bandit in the painting! What I’ve produced looks more like a fox. Nor is Bandit in any way crespuscular. He’s a good boy!
The right hand panel is charcoal on plain canvas. Bandits shadow centred on a puddle, and a nearby puddle evoked a moonlit scene in my head. This expanded to consideration about light and dark, “what we do in the shadows”. Bandit casts the shadow of a dog twice his size in the image, with incredibly long limbs. Like a werewolf in transition. This ultimately created an image in my head of a strange moonlight reflection in the puddle, appearing to be a creature of the night following a scent. Or is it a moonlight pond with the shadow of a dodgy character? That’s up to you!
I learned two valuable lessons creating this piece. I cannot paint dogs. Certainly not brownish dogs trotting along a muddy brown path! Credit to Bandit for the inspiration, Credit to C for his inspiring photo, and apologies to both for my butchery. The second lesson I learned: When you remove the inside lid from a tub of Liquid White, don’t try and put it back in again. Experience has taught me that if you do, it will fold slightly, and cause your fingers to plunge in to the tub. I also learned that in such an instance, Liquid White travels very quickly out of the tub and literally coats you from head to toe. It is also horrendous to clean off!
