Blog #34 Tropical Trio (Part 2)

‘Tropical Trio’ Triptych Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvasses total size 20″x48″x2″

I continued this week with spending time in my studio focused on my triptych acrylic painting ‘Tropical Trio’. I was excited to add even more colours, shapes and patterns to my fish. You can see in the photos below starting top left the various stages my painting went through. If you missed the initial pencil drawing and beginnings of me painting this artwork please refer to my Blog #33 ‘Tropical Trio, Part 1 on my website. There you will see all the first stages.

At each of my daily sessions working on this painting I saw new possibilities. I found ways to add on layers of colour, include new elements and create texture. In some cases the additions were subtle; a bit of shading here and some lines and dots there. Some were bigger like the addition of those 4 little pink fish scooting along, they helped to add additional continuity to my triptych. The final touch was painting in those few delicate strands of seaweed. I was pleased with how they laced their way throughout the 3 panels, in front of some fish and in behind others. It really adds a kind of movement that keeps your eye travelling around and across the painting.

I hate to waste any paint. So though I often use a palette to mix my paint colours on I also blend larger amounts in small plastic cups and then place another cup on top as a lid. Other small sized containers work well too. Acrylics dry so quickly so this keeps the paint moist and ready to use the next day.

In the past I have painted many paintings of tropical fish but always in watercolours (please refer to my watercolour art gallery here on my website to see those). Though watercolours are marvellous to work with acrylics bring new freedom to my painting approach and style. Using acrylic paints has given me an invigorating challenge but also the freedom of designing with shapes and colours in any way I desire. I can paint over areas to change things or add elements easily.

I am so glad the overal final effect of my triptych ‘Tropical Trio’ is one of brightness , joyfulness and fun, we all need more of that heading into this new year.

To see this finished original acrylic painting Tropical Trio’, triptych close up and for more of my paintings available for sale please go to my original  watercolour and acrylic art galleries on this website.  Many of my paintings are also available in 5″x7″ art cards.