As always I start with the eyes and bill as this seems to give the painting some life if the subject looking at you.

The only red paint I had didn’t quite match the red bill of the swan. I added a little orange and some black to reduce the intensity.

I used a grey to map out the major feathers on the swans neck and back. Then followed this up with a second layer of lighter grey which you can just see on the top of the swans back.

On the neck you can see the final coat of white which almost makes the swan glow and shimmer in the sunlight.

Here I’ve added a light brown to the back feathers, the only other colour apart from the red bill.

One final coat of white as highlights that really make the swan pop.

It’s amazing that only a few light strokes of paint can turn flat swan in to a 3D environment.

I think I may have added a little too many reflections but the iPhone photo seems to enhance all the whites and in fact its a little bit more subdued in the real artwork.

Now this is when I realised my mistake, once framed up I placed the adult swan next to the cygnet painting and discover to my annoyance they were facing each other.

The cygnet was supposed to be following the adult swan, the image that I flipped on my computer didn’t copy to my iPad reversed. so it wasn’t until I placed them side by side I realised this fact, as the paintings were a few weeks apart.

Realising my mistake I will now paint another adult black sawn so I have two adults protecting their baby. And this is how my pair of swans became a whole family.

Finished artwork ready for my exhibition.