Painting a Fox, Slowly
Today, I painted a fox.
It’s a small oil painting, five by five inches. I didn’t choose the size because it was convenient. I chose it because I wanted to stay close—to the surface, to the subject, and to the act of looking. I wasn’t interested in explaining everything or making something loud. I wanted the painting to remain quiet.
A fox feels like an animal that keeps its distance. It doesn’t ask to be understood. It doesn’t demand attention. It simply watches. Lately, I’ve found myself drawn to that kind of presence—something observant, something restrained, something that doesn’t rush toward me.
When I began the painting, there wasn’t a clear plan. I placed the first colors slowly, without trying to define the fox right away. At the beginning, it was only shapes and shadows, nothing recognizable. And I was comfortable with that. I’ve learned that the image doesn’t need to appear immediately. Sometimes, staying in that uncertain space is part of the work.
As I added more color, I noticed myself slowing down even further. Oil paint has weight. It resists being rushed. You place a color, and it stays. While painting, I wasn’t thinking about finishing. I was paying attention—how one color felt next to another, which combinations settled naturally, and which ones didn’t.
When something didn’t work, I didn’t correct it right away. I waited. Waiting is something I’m still learning, in painting and in life.
There was a moment when the fox finally appeared. Not all at once—just a suggestion, a look. That moment is always quiet, and easy to miss. I think that’s why I’m drawn to painting animals like this. They tend to show up when you stop forcing them.
I don’t see this painting as a finished answer. It feels more like a record of time spent paying attention—a small space, a quiet subject, and a reminder that not everything needs to be explained. Sometimes, it’s enough to sit with the image and let it remain a little unclear.
If you’d like to watch the painting process and hear the original narration, you can view the video here:
