Chicken #5

This painting was done during christmas break 2006 at my parents place north of Toronto. For those of you who have not been to Ontario, I should say that giant chicken-shaped buildings are very common... most people live in such structures and commute to work in flying shoe-cards piloted by roosters. OK, I may have imagined a few things about Toronto, but people there do commute a lot.

The painting was built up from loose lines and flowing washes, and finishing with detailed brish work on the top. The brush work creates the illusion of size (see the small people at the foot of the chicken building and the windows). Also, creating the sense of space is a diffuse atmospheric lighting that makes the background trees blueish, and the head of the chicken building dissolve into the sky. The intense colours of the flying vehicle also create the sense of depth by contrasting against the chalky pastels of the background and middle ground.

Chicken #5, watercolour 10 x 11" cold press, winter 2006 (No. 1371)