At this point, I re-assessed the value relationships throughout the painting. Darks and mid-values were adjusted. I strengthened a few of the dark accents in the feathers and refined a few of the edges.
I saved the lightest lights and highlights for the end. This kept the lights bright and clean. And it allowed me to be selective about where I wanted the greatest drama to be focused.
While there are several areas on this owl that could be described as “white”, I chose to not highlight them all equally. I wanted to lead the viewer’s eyes through the painting. Therefore, my lightest lights were used along the front edge of the wing, along the feather tufts near the eyes and the highlight on the sunlit eye. And while I could have used a true white, I preferred to use a warm white, tinged with yellow, to warm these areas with the warmth of the sun.
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