Kayaking Painting
This acrylic kayak painting features a kayaker battling a white water river. For prices, sizes, information about art prints, posters, art cards, canvas prints, acrylic
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This acrylic action painting of a kayaker kayaking a white water river in Ontario was my contribution to a national mural. I am honored to have been invited to participate, along with several other Canadian artists, in the creation of a collaborative national mural for the Sherbrooke 2013 Canada Summer Games. The mural reflects the spirit of artistic collaboration, cultural diversities and the history of pan-Canadian sports. The completed mosaic sports mural consists of 224 painted panels. It was installed prior to the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Quebec and remains part of the city's permanent art collection.
Each artist from across Canada (who donated his/her time and creative energy on a voluntary basis) was sent a 16" x 16" panel with pre-determined general color fields. Artists were required to use their own imagination and ingenuity to create a sports painting that would conform to the color fields on the panel. None of the artists had any idea what the completed project would look like and, being part of such a fantastic team, we all looked forward to seeing the completed mural with great anticipation. The completed mural (below) was unveiled in August 2013.
COMPLETED MURAL WAS UNVEILED AUGUST 16, 2013 IN SHERBROOKE, QUEBEC
My painting is the second full square from the bottom and third full square from the right.
Step 1:This is the 16" x 16" panel that was shipped to me. My assignment was to design and paint an acrylic sports painting within the general color tones of this panel. I felt that the panel color suited a painting of a white water kayaker and I could envision a joyful kayaking enthusiast pouncing through white water on a wild river ride. Along with the panel, I had received a color swatch on paper for reference, should I loose sight of my panel color while painting.
Step 2:I begin by painting the entire panel white to allow the brilliance of the acrylic color to stand out. While this is drying, I design my kayaker on paper. Fortunately, I have many reference photos that were taken on previous summer vacations. When completely dry, I do a detailed pencil drawing of my kayaker on the panel, using my paper drawing and photos as reference. Since this is only a relatively small portion of the entire large mosaic mural (13 panels wide by 16 panels high - 17.3 ft.w. x 21.3 ft.h.), I try to keep the subject size as large as possible with minimal background in order that it is readily identifiable in the large picture.
Step 3:I begin painting the background water behind the kayak, being careful to keep the color tones within the confines of the panel color that I received. I laid paper loosely over the figure so that my background splashes of paint would not affect the main subject and I could still see my drawing.
Step 4:I develop the skin tones and paint details of the face and hands with sunlit highlights. I add some more colorful splashes to the background being careful to cover the body to prevent splashes there. I also begin to paint the jacket.
Step 5:I paint the windbreaker with shadows in fabric folds and sunlit highlights. Carefully choosing my colors from the spectrum that comprises the original color of the panel, I paint the kayak in two-tone yellow and tourquoise swirl pattern to keep within the boundaries of my color restriction. The combination of yellow and deep tourquoise distinquishes the kayak from the background water color yet subconsciously mixes in the brain to the color of my original panel.
Step 6:Loosely protecting my kayak and figure with paper, I splash more paint into the background to suggest sunlit splashes of water. I remove the protective paper and begin to develop the forground water.
Step 7:I choose purple for the color of the life jacket. This adds some contrast and warmth to the cool touquoise background yet still incorporates some blue tones that exist in the touquoise. I let the yellow of the kayak continue into the life jacket where the sun would hit. I splash a trail of the purple life jacket color behind the kayaker to suggest speed and movement.
Step 8:I begin to develop the foreground water with controled splashes of tourquoise, blue, green and white paint. I paint the helmet and kayak paddle and add glistening hightlights on the kayak. I add a controled splash of yellow paint through the water to suggest motion and speed of the kayak. I develop the foreground water defining the rapids with shadows and splashes of the white water, adding a bit of the life jacket purple in the foreground to suggest reflections in the water and to unify the painting.
Original image size: 16" x 16"
Original painting belongs to the City of Sherbrooke, Quebec permanent collection.
hand-painted by
Request a quotation for the commission of your own original SPORTS painting for your personal collection or for a fundraising project. Commission your own original watercolor, oil on canvas, acrylic painting or wall mural of your favorite photograph of a sports scene that is dear to you - perhaps a family member skiing the bunny slopes, family swimming fun at the cottage, your daughter skating, your kids tobogganing, yourself blasting through powder snow, a happy boating memory. We deliver worldwide. International clients welcome! Satisfaction guaranteed.
I would be delighted to examine your photographs and offer suggestions. All commissions are hand-painted or drawn personally with sensitivity by Hanne Lore Koehler. We deliver worldwide. Satisfaction guaranteed. International clients welcome!
To all the outstanding contemporary artists below who took the time to visit my website and comment on my work, I am deeply touched by your generous comments and warm welcome into the international community of artists hosted by Fine Art America! Your overwhelming support and selfless promotion are heart-warming. I am honored to get to know you through your art.
Phil Alain - Edmonton, AB - Canada This painting has such beautiful movement and color. Well done Hanne Lore Koehler!!
Ron Haist - Caledon, ON - Canada
Nice work Hanne and I am looking forward to the 2013 summer games project mural ...congratulations !!!! V
Bob Orsillo - Storybrooke, Maine - United States
Oh yeah! Now that is ride of lifetime! Breathtaking painting Hanne!! Congratulations on being one of the artists selected for the mural project.
Franky Casal - Angers, Va - France
Quel talent !!!!! Une peinture tres dynamique ... V&F
EMONA Art - Lyon - France
Fantastic painting, Hanne!!! You so greatly depicted the movement and the energy of the moment! Congratulations also on the participation to the mural work! :)
Donna Kennedy - Reno, NV - United States
Fabulous colors and action Hanne! Congratulations and will be watching the progress of the summer games mural :)
Nadeeka Kodituwakku - Colombo, We - Sri Lanka
Beautiful capture of the intensity of the moment in play!! awesome!!!
Anna Ewa Miarczynska - Warsaw - Poland
Soooooo beautifuly composed and painted!!!!!! Fav&V
Lisa Knechtel - Burnaby, BC - Canada
There is so much life in your work. Love the surreal and real feel of your work. WOW. v
Christiane Schulze - Castrop-Rauxel, NR - Germany
Spectacular action painting Hanne Lore....love foaming water and expression!
Lois Bryan - Brookeville, MD - United States
Oh Hanne, how marvelous!!!!! You have captured the spirit of excitement and joy and fear and thrill of the extreme sports enthusiast!!! Happiest of congratulations on your participation in the mural's exhibit!!! I know this one will be the talk of the collection!!!!!
Alessandro Della Pietra - Rome, La - Italy
So dynamic, wonderful!
Jim Fitzpatrick - South San Francisco, CA - United States
Awesome capture of the water's power and fury and his struggles to race on! F/V
James Bo Insogna - Longmont, CO - United States
You get the Triple WOW WOW WOW award from me on this one! Incredible work! V/F
Sandra Sengstock-Miller - Toowoomba, Qu - Australia
Action, action, action great colours, congratulations on being invited to be part of a collaborative national mural. it is an honour well deserved.
Mark Tisdale - Montezuma, GA - United States
What a fun image! You just can't help smiling it looks like so much fun - you've really captured the exhilaration and adrenaline so well!
Henryk Gorecki - Starachowice, sw - Poland
Amazing watercolor, Hanne! Wonderful, dynamic water and beautiful color! L,F,Fb,tw,g+
Debbie Portwood - Harievill, MO - United States
Such Fantastic work Hanne! I feel like I am in the water as well! All the water splash and movement is so amazing!!
Wilfrido Limvalencia - Richmond, BC - Canada
Wow, great energy! Love the action.
Jack Zulli - Sussex, WI - United States
Great expression of excitement and action, a joy to view! v/f
Nikki Dalton - Vancouver, B. - Canada
Wonderful work Hanne! One can feel the energy, spray and joy in this amazing work! Beautiful! LF
Hazel Holland - Coeur D Alene, ID - United States
A wonderful explosion of color and energy, Hanne!!! L/F
Elaine Jones - Walsall, We - United Kingdom
Wow! A great explosion of both natural and human energy! l/f
Laurie Search - San Lorenzo, CA - United States
This is really amazing, hanne!!! :)))fv
Dee Browning - Portland, OR - United States
All the action in this painting is outstanding! Movement of water, expression in the face, tipping of the boat and stroke of the paddle. Really, really a great show of talent.
Mike Nahorniak - Peyton, CO - United States
Awesome, I really dig how you get the splashing water to be so realistic! V
Len Stomski - Cheshire, MA - United States
Fantastic detail and action Hanne, Wonderful work of art. v/f
Gary Hall - Caledon, ON - Canada
Wow, stunning work, Hanne. v/f
HH Photography - Bradenton, FL - United States
Love the tremendous wave action and beautiful colors. Your talent leaves me awestruck, Hanne.
ANA MARIA EDULESCU - Bucharest, Ro - Romania
Wow! Absolutely stunning, Hanne! Such movement and action so masterfully rendered! Just love the dynamic energy!
Karen Adams - Columbus, OH - United States
I really don't know how you do these, Hanne! But I am so glad you do, so I can marvel at your skill!
Anne Lacy - Chicago, IL - United States
Amazing and masterful Hanne! I love the sense of movement, the energy, the gorgeous tones! A truly wonderful work!
Len Stomski - Cheshire, MA - United States
Wow Hanne what great action it looks like you were right there in the middle of it all, FANTASTIC watercolor. v/f
Heidi Smith - Long Beach, CA - United States
Wow! An exceptional action filled painting, Hanne! F/v/tweet/su/g+
Sherry Gombert - Jacksonville, fl - United States
Love how you accomplish so much with your brushes...beautiful job Hanne..
Susan Richardson - Apalachicola, FL - United States
Yes, yes...a great series of kayaks and I'm with James..OMG! Fabulous.
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