When Nature Becomes Part of the Painting

A short reflection on using fern leaf botanical printing to bring new movement, texture, and inspiration into an unfinished raven painting.

This painting is still unfolding slowly.

At one point, I felt that the raven and the background were not fully meeting yet. The painting had direction, but something was still missing — a layer, a rhythm, a connection between the bird and the world around it.

So I went outside.

In Finland, the fern leaves are rising again, and they are one of my favorite plants to use in botanical printing. Their shapes are strong, delicate, and full of movement at the same time. I wanted to bring some of that spring growth into the painting.

I experimented with fern leaf printing and oil paints, using several colors to create soft marks, textures, and traces of nature on the canvas. It became a way to loosen the block and let the painting breathe again.

The process is slow. With oil paint, the layers need time to dry before I can continue. But maybe that waiting is part of the work too.

This piece is not finished yet, but it has started moving again.

Sometimes the next step in a painting does not come from thinking harder. Sometimes it comes from stepping outside, touching a leaf, and letting nature leave its own marks on the canvas.

More small moments from my art process, nature inspiration, and works in progress can be found on my Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/cosmicaelina/