Thumbnails: When Worlds Collide

It’s been quite hectic lately which meant I’ve had to spread my painting time over a few days. But I’m not complaining! Squeezing in some creative activity at least two hours daily helps me unwind and relax whilst keeping me alert and energetic. Trust me, it works! I should make it my New Years Resolution. And today, I’m sharing another thumbnail sketch.

From My Travels

Don’t we all miss travelling! I certainly do, especially to faraway destinations. Unfortunately of course it’s not wise at the moment with COVID and hence we can only wait and keep dreaming! And once again, I’m following Tracy Verdugo’s Story Painting class and now on Chapter Three Lesson 3 from which I’ve been able to compile bits and pieces from my past travels and expand my imagination. How about illustrating our dream paradise combining the scenes and subjects from the travels? And this is where Tracy rightly calls this Lesson When Worlds Collide.

Above are my six top vacation photos from which to base my paradise painting

• Flowers during a trip somewhere in the Netherlands
• Cat in Amsterdam (actually in my neighborhood but so cute!)
• Floating houseboat in Siem Reap, Cambodia
• White swan in Hokkaido, Japan
• Owl at a sanctuary near Mount Fuji, Japan
• Pretty flowers in a pot at a hotel in Phan Thiet, Vietnam

The Swan, Cat and Owl

And so I decided to base my painting on the three animals : the swan, cat and owl. What a combo! The houseboat is in the middle and in water surrounded by jungle with lots of green. Cat is sitting on the deck of the boat, owl is perched on a tree and swan wandering in the front. And yes owls do come out in the daytime! As for the pretty flowers, they are in the pots and placed in the foreground to brighten up the mood more.

Then I thought of a cat on the roof. Owl still on the tree and two swans. Hmmm…

A close up perhaps?

Another close up but a different composition. Swan on the left had side instead.

Develop it into a Painting!

Actually, I already had an image for this paradise in mind. Making thumbnail sketches though gave me an opportunity to try out other options in terms of composition and content. And soon I will be transferring my idea onto bigger paper to start my painting! Very excited about it and can’t wait to complete and share it here. So keep your eyes peeled!