A Quiet Determination

"A Quiet Determination” is a study in focused intensity and patience. I aimed to capture the elegant, posture of the Darter. This waterbird is unique for the way it hunts. It stalks, standing motionless, until it rapidly thrusts its neck forward to spear its prey.

My goal was to contrast this inner force with a powerful simplicity. I began with a detailed underpainting, using raw umber and white for the sky and burnt sienna for the contours and textures of the head, neck and body.

I developed the sky with two layers to achieve depth—the first a warmer, thicker blue, followed by a cooler, thin glaze. To capture the sheen and rich texture of the black feathers, I used a thin mix of ivory black with notes of veridian, alizarin crimson, and raw umber. (I referred to Giovanni Boldini's paintings of dogs for technical inspiration.)

The finished piece brings a sense of silent, poised power—the calm before the action!

My hope is that this portrait evokes the same sense of awe and wonder that we felt witnessing such extraordinary bird in the wild.