The Swan I Almost Gave Up On
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Some images just stop you in your tracks — and when that happens, I often find myself wondering: Could I turn this into something lasting?
Debbie Anne is one of those photographers whose work carries that kind of spark. I’ve used her photos before, and when I saw this young swan taking a nap on a dark pond, I knew I wanted to try capturing not just her form, but her presence.
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| Photograph used with permission. |
I’ve had the pleasure of using Debbie’s photos a few times before, and when I spotted this juvenile swan snoozing on a dark pond, I felt inspired to try capturing not just the image but the mood she’d created. If you want to check out her amazing work, you can find her on Instagram at debbieanne_photographer or on Facebook as Debbie Anne – Photography.
For this piece, I envisioned the swan rendered in colored pencil with the pond in watercolor. That meant choosing Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper—a smoother surface than the cold press I usually use—so the pencils would glide beautifully and details would really pop.
I started by tracing the swan and transferring the outline onto my paper, so I could focus fully on building up the details.
I often blur my reference photo to focus on the tonal values rather than getting caught up in every tiny detail.
For this piece, I mainly used Faber‑Castell Polychromos pencils, along with a few other artist-grade brands from my collection to capture those subtle color shifts. If you’re curious about my full pencil arsenal, just let me know in the comments—I’d be happy to share a deep dive!
That’s when it hit me — because of the reflection, I’d actually be drawing two swans!
Layer by layer, the piece gradually took shape as I worked across it, weaving in depth and detail. It’s a technique I borrowed from watercolor painting, where you let one area dry while working on another. At one point, when I tested the watercolor pencil on the pond, I almost wished I’d stuck with the simple fade from dark to white. But I’m really glad I kept going — the finished piece ended up even better than I imagined.
For the pond, I used a Stabilo Aquarellable pencil, which delivers a rich, dark tone. Getting a deep, solid black with watercolor can be tricky, and I’d discovered this pencil was perfect for achieving that effect. After coloring the pond, I brushed water over it to activate the pigment. The black was beautiful, but it ended up looking flat and blotchy.
Then it hit me—the pond wasn’t black at all! In some areas, it was green. I wasn’t happy with that flat black, so I started lifting the color. With a wet brush in one hand and a paper towel in the other, I wet the black areas and then dabbed lifting as much as I could. Honestly, I wanted to cry—it was streaked and blotchy. At that moment, I was really glad this piece was for me and not a client—I’m not sure I could’ve shared this progress photo otherwise.
The artwork sat for a months, abandon and forgotten, until one day I came across it in a pile of partially completed artwork.
I then gradually built up the background by layering various shades of green, blending in deeper tones like indigo and black to create depth and movement. This layering gave the piece a rich, organic texture that reflected the feel of the pond in the photo.
To finish, I splashed Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White, across the surface, capturing the delicate white flecks that float like little bits of matter drifting on the water.
This was a piece I didn’t like for much of the process. Many times, I was ready to trash it and move on. It sat for several months untouched. If this had been 2020, when I first started with watercolors, I would’ve torn it up and tossed it. But I’ve since decided that every artwork has a lesson to teach me.
Sometimes, the process feels messy and uncertain, and it’s easy to think a piece is a failure before it’s finished. But letting it sit, coming back with fresh eyes, and pushing through those frustrating stages taught me that growth often hides in the middle of the mess. With this one, I learned how to create an amazing dark pond—and that drawing two subjects isn’t so bad after all.
I still wasn’t totally happy with it even after signing my name. But my husband looked at it and was genuinely amazed. I left it on my desk for a few days, and when I looked at it again, I didn’t see all the “errors” I thought were there. What I saw instead was the journey. She now hangs proudly one of our walls in our home.
Have you ever pushed through a project you were ready to give up on? I’d love to hear how it turned out—and what it taught you.
Supplies Used in This Piece: Some links below are affiliate; I may earn a small commission at no extra cost—thank you!
- Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper
- Mijello Mission Gold Watercolor Paints
- Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils - Pro tip: Artist‑grade pencils aren’t cheap—look for deals (I scored mine on eBay). Buying multiple small sets won’t save you money, since larger sets already include those colors—this seems common to all artist‑grade pencils.
- Winsor & Newton Masking Fluid
- Water Activated Tape
- Ruled Washi Tape (I used tape from TheArtistLife.com, they are no longer in business)
- Washi Grid Tape
- Artist Board
- GatorBoard - Purchased locally at Blaine’s Art, mine is cut in half
- 11x14 Frame with 8x10 Mat
