Maine Junior Duckstamp

In creating his piece, I aimed to create a balanced and engaging composition. I was inspired by the rich colors found in nature, and I wanted to express this by blending various shades together. My choice of ducks came from this idea, especially the vibrant feathers of the Cinnamon Teal.

I began with a graphite sketch featuring two ducks—the male and female—to add more elements to what could have been a plain composition. Once the sketch was complete, I focused on the background and the water, dedicating most of my time to this part of the artwork. After applying a layer of pencil, I went back over it with a colorless pencil to fill in any gaps. My finishing touch was adding highlights to their eyes.

Capturing the water was a significant process for me; I devoted a lot of attention to making it appear fluid and reflective. For the grass, I wanted to incorporate many colors to create a lush and abundant look, so I revisited this area multiple times with new colors and various textural techniques. As for the ducks, the process involved extensive layering and careful attention to detail.