Matsya Avatara

Painting Light – Bringing Matsya to Life

Matsya - Manu

One of the greatest joys of oil painting is watching light emerge layer by layer. This painting was never intended to rely on dramatic contrasts alone. I wanted the light to feel as though it originated from Matsya Himself, gently illuminating King Manu's face and hands.

The warm glow across Manu's chest, neck, and chin was built using transparent glazes of Quinacridone Sienna (with PO48), one of my favourite pigments. Its rich golden warmth has a depth that I have always found difficult to replace. Since this pigment is no longer manufactured, every painting that contains it feels a little more special to me. I'm glad that it became part of this one.

The fish is the only true source of light in the painting. I wanted its glow to gently illuminate Manu's face and hands, hinting that this is no ordinary creature. The Divine often reveals itself softly before it reveals itself gloriously.

Stages of painting

Working on this painting also reminded me why I enjoy oils so much. The final image emerged slowly through many transparent layers, allowing the light to build gradually rather than appear all at once. Every glaze brought the painting a little closer to the quiet atmosphere I had imagined from the beginning. 

Luminosity under minimal exposure

The fish itself was painted to become the true source of light. For the luminous scales, I used Quinacridone Gold together with Nickel Azo Yellow and Titanium White, gradually building thin layers until the glow felt alive rather than simply bright. My intention was not to paint a golden fish, but to suggest the quiet radiance of the Divine.

Around the edges of the fish, I introduced Quinacridone Coral and Quinacridone Sienna in layers to create a subtle sense of subsurface scattering, allowing the light to appear as though it was travelling through living flesh rather than merely reflecting from its surface. Water spilling from Manu's hands was softened with mixtures of Moonglow and White, creating cool passages that contrast with the warmth of the fish.

The river itself was glazed using Indanthrone Blue and Moonglow. These deep, transparent colours created the calm evening water without overwhelming the luminous centre of the composition. The distant foliage was built from Cascade Green and Ultramarine Blue, deliberately kept subdued so that the eye naturally returns to the quiet dialogue between Manu and the tiny fish.

Although viewers often notice the composition or the expression first, much of the atmosphere in an oil painting comes from these transparent layers of colour. They are rarely obvious on their own, but together they shape the mood of the painting.

This painting reminded me once again that light in art is not simply painted. It is patiently built, one transparent glaze at a time.

Each avatar tells a unique story, but together they reveal different aspects of Lord Vishnu's compassion, protection and guidance.

I hope this painting invites the viewer to pause for a moment and remember that the greatest transformations often begin with the smallest acts of kindness.

Thank you for following this journey from the early sketches and experiments to the finished painting. Your encouragement has made every stage of the process more meaningful.