First of all, with a piece depicting swans and La Tene spirals, the elegance of the lines becomes a major issue. So I shall choose the word ‘elegant’ to represent that particular concept. Lines are curved and sweet, with swan wings and feathers, spirals and ’s’ curves. Even in the more realistic swan, I am working with a more stylized feel, with no specific attempts to create a photo-realistic bird.

The dynamic between the silverpoint swan and the tempera ’splash’ and border needs to be maintained as well. The handmade chalk gesso can pull some very dark shadows out of the silver, so I would like to remind myself to avoid this darkness in the silver, keeping the swan light and ethereal. ‘Delicate’ with reference to the swan was my first thought, but having just used the word, I like ‘ethereal’ better.

So, then a word for the tempera, which is representing a splash of water and the cool eddies around the border. I want to keep the colors cool, but I haven’t really decided whether to use a cool ‘moongold’ gold leaf or to use a pure, cold, crystal white pigment in some of the foam of the water. I’m leaning toward the white pigment, which would work with the lines of the swan. So, perhaps ‘cool’ or ‘cold’ would work as a final word. I’m working mostly with greens and blues, white and black. I believe ‘wet’ might be best for the final word. It will keep me from using warm colors for the most part, and might affect the shading I use on the swan as well.

So, there are the three words for keeping me focused on Daughter of Lir: elegant, ethereal and wet. Ah well, it is sometimes a silly exercise, but I do have a tendency to lose focus and while this can be ok on some pieces, I usually end up with something that I don’t like, which means I often don’t finish it.

Perhaps a second major project will be finishing some unloved pieces. Others would have to select them, I assure you…

KJN