Portrait of 798. Oil on linen. 16"x16". 2013. For sale at Waterford Fair.
This is the second painting I created for the Red Barn Art Exhibit at the Waterford Fair. This heifer was one of the herd at Rocky Pointe farm that I visited late last month.
The abstract idea behind the painting was to show the pattern of blacks against whites using a relatively cool palette of ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, viridian, bright red and cadmium yellow light.
Although the cow was standing in a field I tried to stay away from green as much as possible so I brushed on a thin layer of pale blue to give the painting more mood.
I always enjoy painting the shadow side of a figure and this was no exception - it's a challenge to create the illusion of form with a limited value range. I think I really nailed the eye and the ear tag, too.
I especially like this painting now that I have it framed.