On with the ACEOs!

I was particularly pleased with how this one came out - specifically the illusion of light on the owl.  The background was quite a challenge.  After masking out the owl, I built it up with layers of transparent acrylic washes then painted the "aurora borealis."  For that I used a wide flat brush side-loaded with opaque white gouache mixed with turquoise and blue.  Then I went over it with violet, blue, and green interference paints.  I'm not sure people will know that it's supposed to be the aurorea borealis, but at least it makes a nice background.

I always enjoy painting owls!

As a postscript, I wonder why I can never seem to get perfect coverage with the masking fluid no matter how hard I try?!