dryslwyn
Well-known member
A bit of patience needed there- be interesting to know the dimensions of the picture.
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Jomo's Sketchbook (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jomo
- Start date
A bit of patience needed there- be interesting to know the dimensions of the picture.
Strandman
Well-known member
That is a good tip and seems to work very well in your hands- I had been wondering about cutting and tearing large post-it stickers into shape, on basis that they should be easier to work with than tape.
timwootton
Well-known member
Not procured from the office stationery cabinet, I hope!
buzzard12
Well-known member
Hey....whatever it takes! Ha! Ha!
Jomo, the Phalarope page is stunning. Full of life and superbly drawn, a real delight to look at. Will follow the Redstart with interest...
dryslwyn
Well-known member
I sometimes use what I suppose is called masking film.It is see through and peels off a thin backing - (fablonish). The advantage is that you can put it over your drawing and trace it. It is especially good if you want to mask large areas and I have found that you can reuse the shapes and get no bleed underneath.
nickderry
C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.
Phalaropes are great and I'm also looking forward to following the redstart. Definitely not enough finished coloured work coming from you (but as long as the sketches keep coming, I won't complain!) Clever idea for the leaves, it was a similar problem (I have a very short attention span) of painting leaves that led to all the collages I did last year.
Progress report on the redstart asap please!
Progress report on the redstart asap please!
jomo
Well-known member
Well, it's been two weeks, and I suppose it's time for an update. Not a huge amount of progress (no surprise there!), but I have a bit better idea of where I'm going. Stared at it for a week on the easel before starting to block in the shadows, then spent some time over the long weekend muddying up the leaves while trying to figure out how I'm going to tackle this. Being dockside with a cold beer is, at the very least, good enticement to get some painting done!
I've already noticed that the leaves are getting lost against the background, and I'll have to find a way to sharpen things up. For now, though, I'll plug along as I'm doing, and there's always the gouache if things go wrong (though I hate sullying up my watercolours with the stuff). I'll have to get some paint into that warbler, it's just not right to leave a Redstart looking so colourless.
I've already noticed that the leaves are getting lost against the background, and I'll have to find a way to sharpen things up. For now, though, I'll plug along as I'm doing, and there's always the gouache if things go wrong (though I hate sullying up my watercolours with the stuff). I'll have to get some paint into that warbler, it's just not right to leave a Redstart looking so colourless.
Attachments
timwootton
Well-known member
It's looking great Jomo - The bird will really bring the piece to life.
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
This is coming along great.
jomo
Well-known member
Let's blow the dust off of this one...
I spent much of last week trying to squeeze a few minutes of birding out of the last little bit of twilight left after work. The days get shorter so quickly! Chased a flock of uncooperative White-throated Sparrows around the Arboretum ponds at the old alma mater, and managed a page of sketches after a few days.
Then it was off to my parents' cottage for Thanksgiving weekend with the folks. The bay is much too disturbed for loons in the summer, but in fall they gather in small parties of two or three (young birds trailing moulting adults with their barking calls). Heavy fog obscured them for most of the weekend, but made for some nice ambiance when they did eventually come into view.
The weather was unseasonably warm this weekend (hot, muggy and more like June than October), and the woods near Oxenden were dead silent. Only after much standing around did I finally spot a small flock of Hermit Thrushes warily eyeing me from within a stand of conifers. On my way back I came across the wake of the logging activity that had barred my access to this trail earlier in the summer. A bit more birdlife here, with Brown Creepers, Yellow-rumps and Golden-crowned Kinglets flitting about while young Hairy and Downy woodpeckers noisily chased one another about the felled trees.
I spent much of last week trying to squeeze a few minutes of birding out of the last little bit of twilight left after work. The days get shorter so quickly! Chased a flock of uncooperative White-throated Sparrows around the Arboretum ponds at the old alma mater, and managed a page of sketches after a few days.
Then it was off to my parents' cottage for Thanksgiving weekend with the folks. The bay is much too disturbed for loons in the summer, but in fall they gather in small parties of two or three (young birds trailing moulting adults with their barking calls). Heavy fog obscured them for most of the weekend, but made for some nice ambiance when they did eventually come into view.
The weather was unseasonably warm this weekend (hot, muggy and more like June than October), and the woods near Oxenden were dead silent. Only after much standing around did I finally spot a small flock of Hermit Thrushes warily eyeing me from within a stand of conifers. On my way back I came across the wake of the logging activity that had barred my access to this trail earlier in the summer. A bit more birdlife here, with Brown Creepers, Yellow-rumps and Golden-crowned Kinglets flitting about while young Hairy and Downy woodpeckers noisily chased one another about the felled trees.
Attachments
Woody
Well-known member
Evocative description of what sounds like a grand weekend, loons in the fog, it couldn't get much better could it?
Outstanding sketchbook work, as always, I love the smooth flow of your linework.
My wife's father is a naturalised Canadian living near Toronto. I really think I should arrange a visit!
Woody
Outstanding sketchbook work, as always, I love the smooth flow of your linework.
My wife's father is a naturalised Canadian living near Toronto. I really think I should arrange a visit!
Woody
timwootton
Well-known member
Jomo - your drawings are simply beautiful. The great Doctor E.A.R. would have been proud to have produced these - effing stunning work. As Woody mentions, your descriptive prose transports the reader to the haunting, shrouded lakes with their special birds. One can sense the damp, dripping forest and the various woodland species eeking out an autumnal feast. Love your work. Love it!
kittykat23uk
Well-known member
I love the diver!
Gill Osborne
Well-known member
Me too! :t: I'd be over the moon to SEE one, never mind get the chance to sketch one :-O Perhaps this coming winter will be the one
I love the way they are done on coloured paper too. Perhaps that's what scares me off sketching more - I'm using glaringly bright white paper and it's rather intimidating.
Can't wait to see more :t:
How's the Redstart coming along by the way?
Andrew Ellis
Well-known member
Well its already been said so I will just agree with all the others. Stunning
discriptive passages that make you want to be there. Stunning Loon sketches!
discriptive passages that make you want to be there. Stunning Loon sketches!
Vectis Birder
Itchy feet
I love that Diver, it's a stunning sketch.
