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It seemed to me that the background was competing for attention
with the pheasant and had to be simplified. In this photo, you can see how much
I changed my mind about the cornstalks immediately behind the pheasant’s
head. Also, the cornfield looked flat so I made it recede into the background
and created a row between the corn plantings for a framing effect. Now,
satisfied with the background, I turned to the bird and completed its neck,
chest, back and front leg (the one that makes it appear to be in motion). Then
I captured the wonderful blue shadows that make the piece seem more realistic.
Against the yet-to-be-painted foreground snow, these shadows will be a device
to draw the viewer deeper into the picture. |
