Turtles on a Log

During my recent paint outs at the Daniel Webster Audubon, I took several photos at the watering hole that attracts the local wildlife.  I particularly like turtles.  I think my interest in turtles comes from the fact that they were my first pet when I was about seven or eight. I have this vague recollection of losing one of them and then my mother finding it hiding under a radiator. This is either true or is something that happened in a childhood movie. I can't remember!
 
On each visit to the Audubon, there have been a group of turtles that like to bask on a log that slopes diagonally up out of the water.   As I watched, a small turtle approached and started climbing onto the log at the bottom, but there was no room, and he slipped back into the water.   He dove under the water and approached again.  This time when he started his ascent he seemed to nudge the bottom turtle, which took a couple of steps up, and one by one they all cooperated taking a step or two up the log which made room for the bottom guy.  Seem pretty mundane?  It made me smile.

I looked up these turtles to find out what kind they were.  According to the Turtle Conservation Project website, this group of turtles are Painted Turtles. The head, legs and tail are black with yellow stripes. The undersides of the marginals have bold red markings. The bright red markings contrast nicely with the top shell, log and surroundings, which I thought would make a good subject for a painting.

Here are the stages of the painting all in a row in small thumbnails.


Turtles on a Log Stage 1



Turtles on a Log Stage 2

Turtles on a Log Stage 3

Stage 1 - Blocked in shapes an the darkest darks.
Stage 2 - Refined the turtles more, especially the way the bright sunlight was whitewashing the shells on the sunlit side, and darker on the dome facing away from light. Added signature red undershell markings, nice and bright, knowing I could tone it down if I needed to.
Stage 3 - On a dried canvas, redefined the darks, the stripes on heads, legs and some undershell shadows.  Yellow accent stripes on heads.   Painted the reflections of the shells and legs in the water.  Added grasses.

Painted Turtles on a Log