The Process

I created my own square canvas and then painted it with my own mix of red, yellow, and blue acrylic to create a vivid black shade. Then, I layered watered-down oil paint in muted blues, oranges, and whites to create the general shape of the supernova. I layered on more white to brighten up the painting and add more definition. I painted in the egg base with oil paint, and then added in fine details, exaggerated vibrant hues, and highlights. After that, I made the brightest highlights and darkest shadows in the background and fine lines to add contrast and make it look more realistic. Lastly I flicked my brush with white oil paint and water to crate a star-scattered effect.

Through the process, I struggled to create sufficient definition, detail, and contrast in my painting at first. To improve this, I added many additional layers of different hues and values until I felt there was a good balance of diversity and homogeneity, went over areas with diluted paint to blend them and add highlights and shadows, and created some fine and vibrant lines that created a highly-detailed illusion.