Here’s a painting I finished recently…more or less. I actually like the painting even though it’s definitely missing something. Something like…sheep.
“Pastoral” by Judith Kraus – Oil on Canvas Panel 11 x 14
Originally I’d planned to place a large bush or a tree in the lower left hand corner, but as I looked at the painting, I begin hearing “Sheep May Safely Graze” by J. S. Bach playing in my head. It’s one of my favorites. I liked the quiet, gentle feel of this painting.
Oh, but I wanted sheep. I think I could paint sheep. White, fluffy sheep. Painting them might be much like painting clouds only with heads and legs and tails, right? In my mind, I can see a flock of sheep down there in that corner. I just didn’t trust myself to try painting them.
I considered cutting out a few “trial” sheep just to get an idea of the right size. That’s a technique I learned when I was painting watercolor scenes and adding people and animals. I might do that.
For now, I’m leaving “Pastoral” alone. Either the sheep have wandered off or they’ve been abducted. Someday I hope I can go back, find my missing sheep, and put them in my painting where they belong so that they may safely graze these green, grassy hillsides.
I really love the abstract quality of the painting as it is now !
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Thanks, Cathy. I’m thinking now maybe I just need a few sheep in the distance on the flat area under that one hillside…about halfway up and toward the right side. What do you think? It would be mostly just a suggestion of white to represent sheep grazing. I can’t decide if I should add the sheep or just leave it as it is.
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I truly love it as it is! But it’s your painting and your vision! And we always learn through trying things! So, if you go for it, you’ll learn something and see what happens when you do add a few sheep!
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I’ll let you know if I do. Or maybe I should just paint another similar scene…and include the sheep. That sounds like a plan 🙂
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