Exploring the Art of Koi

GOOD SUNDAY MORNING!! The photos above show a small segment of the progression of my latest silk painting. I am Exploring The Art of Painting Koi on Silk...not just the Koi but how to put them under the water....how to use only layers dye and soy wax to create the feeling of looking down through the water. I know I could go somewhere and take a lesson or read about it in a book found somewhere..but for me part of my passion for painting on silk is the unknown. I love to just sit and think about how to go about it...would this or that work..."I wonder if"...it puts such magic in the process...yes, here I go again on the process...but I am in love with the process...not necessarly the finished work...as there is always something that perhaps I could/should do differently ...... I simply love the thinking process and the suprise of what happens...even the pushing myself to 'ruin' a pretty piece by taking a chance and trying one more step...wondering what will happen..Ruin or Wonder...in the lastphoto the piece is 'maybe' finished...it still has all the soy wax protecting the lightest areas and the Koi..so until it is steamed I will not really know what it is going to look like. However, this moring I thought I was finished with it at #4 but wanted to soften the center as with my previous works I felt the contrast was just a little to jarring...this one is now softer...but..will the protected areas play well when they are exposed?? Will the edges of the soy wax and the dye be to harsh...or to soft...We will have to wait and see...but it has been fun working on it and I actually cannnot wait to get this one wrapped and stretch another silk on the frame to see if I can improve ....I know I can in the area of the shapes of the Koi.....I am dissapointed in the koi at the upper right...at a distance it looks ok but up close it looses its something in translation..>>LOL meaning I just did not get it quite right...You see, when I start the Koi it is just color laid down ...then I use soy wax to define the shape...kind of like finding a design in an abstract painting ...it is fun.....and challenging..and not a perfect science as of yet...so back to the studio to try yet again....I think this time I will just put Koi on a long Opera Shawl...focusing on the shape and multi-color of the Koi......until then..love and light surround you...