1993 - 12.5" x 10.25" - Watercolor, Arches Aquarelle watercolor paper
I bought this hat while on a European tour, and I thought it was fun and dashing with its bright red color and multiple feathers. The iridescent feathers presented an interesting challenge. I practiced many times before trying to create them on the actual painting. Something I noticed, as I peered closely at those particular feathers under the light attached to my drawing board, was that every time I moved a fraction of an inch, the color changed in what I saw. It was rather maddening trying to capture something so fleeting, but that’s the nature of iridescence. In the end, I was pleased with the effect. The key was rainbow colors and strong light/dark contrast.