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Alan Dalton-Birdart from the Basement (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter buzzard12
- Start date
buzzard12
Well-known member
Lastly, another bash at a Hawk Owl portrait, the last one was scrapped due to being badly drawn. Had an incredible day with this bird for the second time last Sunday, a few scribbles with gloves on led to this today, a better drawing by far..
Be back tomorrow to work on these three pieces..
Be back tomorrow to work on these three pieces..
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timwootton
Well-known member
Looking and enjoying - albeit enviously. Fabulous work!
buzzard12
Well-known member
Progress from a long day spent in studio from early yesterday until late evening..
Hawk Owl in Birch not worked on, though a much better image here. Will lighten the blue showing through the tree's quite a bit, then add rear details such as branches and tree trunks, before tackling the bird and foreground tree's in more detail..
Pygmy Owl painting was laborious, a lot of paint of this canvas, this one was a struggle. May be a few tweaks with regard to the bird itself, feel the bill is a little to large perhaps, though decided to let it sit in case I make the wrong decision...been difficult to balance this painting, painting the bird in semi darkness proved a big challenge.
Made good progrees with the Hawk Owl portrait and liking this one so far. Needs more detail around the crown, eyes and flight feathers on the upperparts, though very much came to life when the delicate underpart barring was added late yesterday evening before I left...
These images taken with the DSLR under artificial light last night...
Will be nice to get these owl pieces completed and out of my system, looking forward to some passerine paintings already..
Hawk Owl in Birch not worked on, though a much better image here. Will lighten the blue showing through the tree's quite a bit, then add rear details such as branches and tree trunks, before tackling the bird and foreground tree's in more detail..
Pygmy Owl painting was laborious, a lot of paint of this canvas, this one was a struggle. May be a few tweaks with regard to the bird itself, feel the bill is a little to large perhaps, though decided to let it sit in case I make the wrong decision...been difficult to balance this painting, painting the bird in semi darkness proved a big challenge.
Made good progrees with the Hawk Owl portrait and liking this one so far. Needs more detail around the crown, eyes and flight feathers on the upperparts, though very much came to life when the delicate underpart barring was added late yesterday evening before I left...
These images taken with the DSLR under artificial light last night...
Will be nice to get these owl pieces completed and out of my system, looking forward to some passerine paintings already..
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solitaryVSong
Well-known member
Pygmy Owl might have been a struggle but it looks like it ended very well. It has the sense of a particular time and place to it.
buzzard12
Well-known member
Another full day at the studio today, first up was the finishing touches on the Hawk Owl portrait, which was duly completed...80cmx60cm.
The other piece, a Rough Legged Buzzard, came out of nowhere. I was leafing through and old sketchbook when I came across a watercolour/biro drawing of a creamy juvenile Rough Leg. A long canvas had been leaning against the wall for some weeks, I grabbed it a blocked in some colour, which worked out well. Before I knew it I was working the piece through rapidly, without getting into too much detail. It came very easily in the end, which is always very nice when it happens. I often see these birds here, perched on the uppermost branches of birch trees, which is how I painted it..
The painting is 140cmx40cm.
The other piece, a Rough Legged Buzzard, came out of nowhere. I was leafing through and old sketchbook when I came across a watercolour/biro drawing of a creamy juvenile Rough Leg. A long canvas had been leaning against the wall for some weeks, I grabbed it a blocked in some colour, which worked out well. Before I knew it I was working the piece through rapidly, without getting into too much detail. It came very easily in the end, which is always very nice when it happens. I often see these birds here, perched on the uppermost branches of birch trees, which is how I painted it..
The painting is 140cmx40cm.
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birdboybowley
Well-known member.....apparently so ;)
Hey Al, nice to see an outpouring of work from the studio......very jealous as I'm stryuggling to put pencil to paper, let alone paint, at present.
Just perused your website too, nicely designed. One little thing though, 'commission' has two 's's in it.....it's spelt correctly once but thought you'd like to know
Ads
Just perused your website too, nicely designed. One little thing though, 'commission' has two 's's in it.....it's spelt correctly once but thought you'd like to know
Ads
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
some great works coming from the studio Alan
buzzard12
Well-known member
Hey Al, nice to see an outpouring of work from the studio......very jealous as I'm stryuggling to put pencil to paper, let alone paint, at present.
Just perused your website too, nicely designed. One little thing though, 'commission' has two 's's in it.....it's spelt correctly once but thought you'd like to know
Ads
Many tanks Ads
mattybohan
Well-known member
The hawk owl is especially nice. Great work.
birdboybowley
Well-known member.....apparently so ;)
buzzard12
Well-known member
A wonderful christmas gift from Linda, which I hadnt been able to get out and use until today. I was delighted when I ripped off the gift wrapping and found this cracking Windsor and Newton Watercolour Box. The box is about 12 inches along the longest side and is very sturdy, being made of bamboo. It hold 12 tubes of W&N watercolour tubes, a nice porcelein pallette, a small sponge and soft cloth, putty eraser, pencil and 2 small round watercolour brushes.
Adding to this I have picked up a couple of hog bristle Hake brushes and a very nice red sable No 12 round, which is a joy to use.
The freezing weather meant no field outings at the time so it was stowed away until now. The weaather has taken a turn for the better now though and this will be my tool of choice this year...
Adding to this I have picked up a couple of hog bristle Hake brushes and a very nice red sable No 12 round, which is a joy to use.
The freezing weather meant no field outings at the time so it was stowed away until now. The weaather has taken a turn for the better now though and this will be my tool of choice this year...
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buzzard12
Well-known member
Today I was up early with a good days weather forecast, the skies didnt dissapoint and I headed off at 9am in glorious sunshine, though it was still quite chilly. I went to Hammarby Hojden, which it a high hill in the southeast edge of Stockholm for a look about. It is used as a ski slope in winter, though now it has closed. It is the highest point in Stockholm. I have searched this area before, though it has been a mixed bag there, my best to date being a Black Redstart many years ago.
I arrived and started searching the slopes and three quarters of the way up I heard the call of the species I had really hoped for, Snow Bunting. A group of four males were located feeding in the rocky scree easily at this point, a couple now coming into summer plumage. I spent a few hours watching and painting them. The temperture was just under zero and I had to work really fast, though the paint went onto the paper fine, the brushes started to freeze and needed to be warmed in the hands every once in a while.
There was also a nice 2nd calender male Kestrel hunting close by for much of this time, the views through the scope were fantastic and a watercolour was made of this bird too...
A really enjoyable day out and I'm looking forward to using the watercolour box in warmer weather. I will have to sort out a way of transporting good watercolour paper. Thinking of loose sheets, A4 and A3 sheets of MDF and lots of bulldog clips is the way forward. These were done in a Moleskin watercolour pad, which was not to bad, though the paper buckles quickly after a wash of paint. This summer I want to use watercolour in the field as much as possible in order to improve my painting and mixing, capture the light in the field and have a better class of reference material for paintings. No doubt, my kit bag will evolve as I go along.
Anyway, todays watercolour work here, a little muddy in places, which tends to happen to me. Something to work on...
I arrived and started searching the slopes and three quarters of the way up I heard the call of the species I had really hoped for, Snow Bunting. A group of four males were located feeding in the rocky scree easily at this point, a couple now coming into summer plumage. I spent a few hours watching and painting them. The temperture was just under zero and I had to work really fast, though the paint went onto the paper fine, the brushes started to freeze and needed to be warmed in the hands every once in a while.
There was also a nice 2nd calender male Kestrel hunting close by for much of this time, the views through the scope were fantastic and a watercolour was made of this bird too...
A really enjoyable day out and I'm looking forward to using the watercolour box in warmer weather. I will have to sort out a way of transporting good watercolour paper. Thinking of loose sheets, A4 and A3 sheets of MDF and lots of bulldog clips is the way forward. These were done in a Moleskin watercolour pad, which was not to bad, though the paper buckles quickly after a wash of paint. This summer I want to use watercolour in the field as much as possible in order to improve my painting and mixing, capture the light in the field and have a better class of reference material for paintings. No doubt, my kit bag will evolve as I go along.
Anyway, todays watercolour work here, a little muddy in places, which tends to happen to me. Something to work on...
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timwootton
Well-known member
I've enjoyed these last works at another place, but I thought I'd add a word of congratulations here as well. The owls are very fine, but I think these latest snow bunts are out of this world - terrific paintings.
solitaryVSong
Well-known member
A great inauguration of a wonderful present. And you must have more stamina than I to be doing in that weather! I made a resolution to use more watercolor in field for much the same reasons and was a total failure at it. So perhaps your efforts will spur me on to do a bit better this year.
mattybohan
Well-known member
Looking great. The last group is especially nice!
buzzard12
Well-known member
Thanks for the comments guys, not easy to take the time on the burgeoning birdart forums. At times I just cant keep up, there is just so much going on in here at the minute..
Well, strike while the iron is hot, get it while it's fresh etc. I will try to convert fieldwork into at least one finished colour piece this year, whilst the observations are still vivid in my mind. Yesterday I spent a few hours with Snow Buntings, watching and painting. Here's an A3 piece done late this afternoon in watercolour, a pleasure to get back to this medium after too long not painting with it..
Well, strike while the iron is hot, get it while it's fresh etc. I will try to convert fieldwork into at least one finished colour piece this year, whilst the observations are still vivid in my mind. Yesterday I spent a few hours with Snow Buntings, watching and painting. Here's an A3 piece done late this afternoon in watercolour, a pleasure to get back to this medium after too long not painting with it..
Attachments
timwootton
Well-known member
Oh man - that's bang-on! Fecking beauty, mate.
