Painting Through Prosek: Von Behr Brown Trout

No apologies for the decrease in posts, from me. I've been busy with an amazing 8-month old and traveling for interviews. This time next year, I'll be exploring new waters. 

On to the painting...

This one has been a long time coming. One of my first attempts at painting was of a brown trout, and, man, did I struggle. I've gotten a little better control of color now, and I'm much happier with this result. I went for the warm colors of the colorful, small-stream browns when they wear yellow bellies and are sprinkled with red and black berries. 

Now, here's a question for you…. Wouldn't it be cool if we could get some shirts with these on them?? 

Painting Through Prosek: Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout

The saga continues following James Prosek's lead.  The state fish of New Mexico is as beautiful as a desert sunset. I would love to see one of these in person. 

Prosek's on the left, mine on the right.

It is better in person.

Maybe someday this could be yours :)

If you have enjoyed these paintings and are interested in how you could get your hands on a cheap print, check out my new etsy shop! You can get a set of four different prints on blank greeting cards. For now, all proceeds will go to fund my local trout unlimited chapter. 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/191047856/assorted-trout-card-set

Painting Through Prosek: Spawning Colorado River Cutthroat Trout

I've been looking forward to this fish ever since a I saw a photo posted by Ivan of Yukon Goes Fishing on his Instagram feed. 

photo by YGF... I think.

Now, I don't really know for sure if that is Colorado River Cutthroat or a Yellowfin Cutthroat. What really amazed me was the spot distribution and stark contrast of the yellow body. 

I have primarily been focusing on the broad side of the fish. As you can seen in James Prosek's depiction, it is rather spotless. That meant I had to get a little creative in how I added the spots in. I could have painted the entire fish or just the tail, but I decided to go a different direction.

There may still be time to put this book on your Christmas list. 

The cheap paint set I bought a while back has lasted.

As you can see below, I deiced to just let the spots run off the page. 

I also painted them to fade out a bit. 

Another look at the spots. 

The Instagram shot. 

Next up, the Greenback.

Painting Through Prosek: Volcano Creek Golden Trout

As I finish the section on the Rainbow, Redband and Golden Trout, it has begun to really sink in how much trout diversity there is in North America. This slow stroll through Prosek's book has given me the chance to daydream about one day seeking out some of the less common species. Who knows, I might find myself backpacking the High Sierras, just south of Mount Whitney, stalking the Kern River tributaries in search of the Volcano Creek Golden Trout. 

From here, we move on to the Cutthroat Trout. This is a, relatively, diverse group. I believe I have about 6 or 7 pages marked to paint. Slowly but surely, I'll make it through. 

Painting Through Prosek: Nelson Trout

A species native to Baja, California identified in 1908. 

A colorful body with blues, greens and yellows. 

I left off the ventral boundary on this painting. 

A subtle difference that draws the eye to the name of the fish. 

By writing the name in pencil, the name doesn't draw the eye completely away from the image. 

Painting Through Prosek: Sheepheaven Redband Trout

As you may have noticed, James Prosek seems to enjoy painting several of his variety of trout in their juvenile garments. Losing your parr marks must be like shedding the jacket of immaturity for many fish. Though, like humans, I bet they still make poor decisions time after time, even after puberty.

The Sheepheaven Redband Trout: a Redband trout (one of the Rainbow variety). 

And now, a look at the Painting Through Prosek portfolio. Below isn't pictured the Brook Trout (that went to Owl Jones) and a brown trout painting that went to my Dad. 

You can also see the redfish tail in there. That is the second attempt at a redfish. 

The first went to a good friend for her birthday.

Painting Through Prosek: McCloud River Rainbow Trout

I don't know if I've ever seen a "generic rainbow," but according to Prosek, the McCloud River Rainbow was the strain that was moved from the East coast westward to introduce rainbows. The colors of the fish I find online vary greatly from each other and from Prosek's version. 

Painting Through Prosek: Steelhead

There are certain trout species that can't be ignored. I've never fished for steelhead, but I believe I understand their importance to the sport. For many anglers, there is nothing more exhilarating than feeling the tug of a running steelhead. 

As such, they are a fish of subtleties. Their patterns shift with their life cycles and age, but as exhibited by Prosek, a few well calculated strokes of with a watercolor brush can "get the gist." Still, the closer you look, the more you find each scale has its own personality. This is true with all fish, I suppose. 

I chose to use a "blotting" brush stroke in this case to add texture back into Prosek's image.  

I think I left the pink stripe a little too dorsal on the fish. 

I might add more black to the back to even it out.

Painting Through Prosek: Alaskan Rainbow Trout

On to the next section of Prosek's book (I've inserted an Amazon link here. I figure I owe Prosek that after photographing so many of his images and posting them here. The book is a great addition to any fish lover's collection.). The Rainbow and Redband have many subspecies. I don't think I'll be painting them all, but I'm planning on highlighting the ones that jump out at me for one reason or another.

We begin with the Alaskan Rainbow Trout: Oncorhynchus mykiss mykiss

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As Prosek writes in his book, everything is bigger in Alaska, including the trout and mosquitos. Based on the tone of his writing, he clearly had an amazing experience while in Alaska. 

I also used a couple pictures from the internet to guide me with the color choices. 

I really wanted to get the olive colored back right. I also used a little different technique with regard to brush strokes. I think this gave a more "scaled" appearance. 

I've been bouncing around the idea of making some blank cards out of these paintings. It might be a good way to raise some money for our local Trout Unlimited chapter here in Southeastern Virginia. 

Until the next time.

Painting Through Prosek: Mexican Golden Trout

After looking at the few online photos and illustrations of the Mexican Golden Trout that I could find, I've decided James Prosek painted a mix of the male during spawning colors and the female specimen. That being said, having never seen one of these little Mexican beauties, who am I to presume such things?

The Mexican Golden Trout is the last of the species in the chapter on Apaches, Gila and Rios. 

During spawning season, the male sports a bright orange belly. 

From what I can tell online, the par marks seem to be persist past the juvenile stages.

The par mark on the left is a bit darker than the rest, now that I look at it.

Next up, the book delves into the Rainbow, Redband, and Golden Trout. I've selected 7 of the 15 fish to paint. After that will be the Cutthroats. Now that is a big chapter.