The Secret Crush
A hand-painted oil portrait “The Secret Crush” by the Fart studio. Camping with dad and dad's buddy who's a little too cuddly.
What the painting shows
The painting shows a misty, evening riverside landscape, painted almost entirely in greys, with one exception. A wide, calm river in grey-blue tones flows through the middle, with white swirls of current and a few rocks breaking the surface. Dark forest stands in the distance, and grey mountains rise behind it, blurred vertically by mist.
On the right, on a high bank, grows a large, spreading tree whose crown is the only intensely blue element in the painting, built from dense light and dark clumps. Under the tree, right by the water, burns a small campfire with an orange flame, and next to it stands a small dark human silhouette.
The title "The Secret Crush" and the caption about camping with dad suggest a memory from a camping trip, where something happens that the viewer cannot quite see, because the figures are hidden behind the tree and in the half-light. (The Polish title "Tajny kuc" is slang that hints at a secret squat behind a tree.)
Technique and style
A horizontal oil painting on canvas in the style of Bob Ross: the mist and mountains are blended vertically with a wide brush, the trees are stamped, and the water is modelled with horizontal strokes and white highlights. The almost monochrome palette of greys with one colour accent, the blue tree crown and the orange campfire, draws the viewer's eye to the most important part of the picture.
At a glance
- Medium: oil paint
- Surface: canvas
- Orientation: landscape (horizontal)
- Dominant colours: greys, grey-blue, intense blue, orange, black
- Subjects: river, mist, mountains, tree, campfire, camping, human silhouette
Fun fact
The Leave No Trace principles used in US national parks spell out exactly how to go to the toilet in the woods. You dig a "cathole" 15–20 cm (6–8 inches) deep, at least 60 m (200 feet, about 70 steps) from water, trails and camp, and then fill it back in. The idea is to keep bacteria out of rivers and help the waste break down faster.
Want a similar painting?
The Fart studio paints commissioned artwork: portraits of people and pets, landscapes and absurd scenes like this one. You can order a similar piece featuring river, mist, mountains, starring your own pet, a loved one or your favourite place. Just describe your idea in the contact form and attach a photo.