Caught by a fish

Normally it is fish who are caught but this week it is a fish that has done the catching. Or to be more precise, I’ve been grabbed by one. We had a session at art group on Tuesday where the art teacher took us through a lesson. He gives us a variety of pictures printed out to chose from and then guides us in the necessary technique to produce our own version of it. This week it was fish. The picture I chose was not at all realistic and I don’t know what the correct technical term is for the type of picture. Below is the picture I chose above my version as far as I had got in the evening.

As mine is done in watercolours and the original in something much more solid (I would guess acrylics or oils) I knew mine was going to be less vibrant. Nevertheless I was engrossed, once I got going, and enjoyed doing it. I was keen to get back to it and finish it.

On Thursday I did the black outlines. I decided to just go over the pencil lines and not attempt anything in addition as I was tired. I would rather do the creative stuff when I am more alert.

Friday was my day off and I decided I was going to finish the picture. I worked on the background next, putting in squiggles etc with a blue felt pen (supposed to be for calligraphy). I also added the rest of the red dots on the border and started to add some extra colour onto the fish.

I wasn’t sure how best to proceed so I posted it on an artists’ Facebook page and asked for advice. I didn’t want to ruin it and wanted to know whether to use black on the fish or another colour. The advice was that my values were too similar. I needed more contrast and to make more contrasts. So I did.

I was quite pleased with the end result. it’s not perfect but for a first attempt at this style, it is good. I will have another go at something else in this sort of style. I looked online to see if I could find the image of the fish I copied so I could give the artist credit, but without success.