Sea Turtle Progression
How painting a Sea Turtle showed me the value of mid-tones. This was a commission from a friend who absolutely loves Sea Turtles. I love them too but this was not a subject I would have chosen because of the detail involved but I dove into the challenge.
As the painting progressed I focused on the darkest and lightest values during the entire process. At the suggestion of my wonderful artist friends in Art Kula, I finally added the mid-tones at the end.
The video below shows the Sea Turtle progression from start to finish. You will notice how heavy the turtle looks until the final frame and how the background seems dull. This is an excellent example of why dark, light, and middle values are all necessary for a piece of art. As soon as the highlights of pink and lighter purple are added the entire painting pops and the background looks brighter. and the turtle actually looks like He is swimming free, which is the name of this painting.
I can’t say I am eager to do another sea turtle or any reptile with scales any time soon, but it is quite rewarding to see the finished turtle swimming free.
