Geese flying over Peel Basin

As I rode my bike down the bike path on the south side of the Peel Basin on a wonderful fall day, these geese flapped noisily into the sky. With just moments to memorize the scene, I then stopped and had some lunch and instant coffee before working out the details of this complex scene. To start I outlined the geese the best I could, keeping two wings a tail and the shape of the long neck and billed head. Then I painted in the outline of the background, making sure that the sweeping lines of the elevated highway did not cross over the position of the geese. I knew then that the painting would be good, since the background lines were getting energy off of the kinetic motion of the geese. With the outlines established it was a paint-by-numbers effort to complete the work. With a mostly blue sky, cool breeze and nice sun coming down I have to say it was a very relaxing moment, reminiscent of a camping trip. 

Geese flying over Peel Basin, watercolour 8 x 10" cold press, September  2024 (No. 3909b)