Miniature Oil Pastel Painting: Cryptic Eyes 2

Why Yellow?

This is Cryptic Eyes 2, the second miniature painting in the Cryptic Eyes series. I introduced the first in that series, Cryptic Eyes 1, a couple weeks ago. In an out of character move, I chose yellow for the primary color for this piece. The only other time in recent history that I've used yellow like this was for the fantasy painting, Solare.

Maybe my mind was addled by all the wine I'd been tasting before painting this piece. Ter and I were at the Fall Wine Festival in the Okanagan, a trip I highly recommend and would like to repeat in the next couple years.

Yellow may not be my favorite color (though I love creams and golds), but
I do like how this painting turned out. The contrast of the blue with the yellow
and orange makes for an optimistic, bright, sunny effect.

Making Cryptic Eyes 2

I used Canson Mi-Teinte paper that I'd cut down to 4" x 6" (10cm x 15cm),
the size of a OSWOA or Original Small Work of Art. Then I taped out the edge making the image 3.5" x 5.5" (8.75cm x 13.75cm). Oil pastels, always my favorite, was the medium of choice. I had a little fun by using a toothbrush to create the textured background behind the cryptic design. Finally, I matted the finished painting with white 5" x 7" (12.5cm x 17.5cm) Crescent® Conservation Grade Mat.

What Next?

Cryptic Eyes 2, this bright and cheerful miniature painting, is matted, ready to frame, and on sale in my Etsy shop now.

Learn more about Cryptic Eyes 2 here, peek inside my Etsy shop here, or check out more miniature art here.

Labels: etsy, new art