• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Untitled... (1 Viewer)

That's one complicated bit of wood, good job

just running my painters eye over it I noticed that the bird's tail a bit of wood above that and the next, line up in dark and light bands sort of strong, and it makes a dark almost even band above the bird, maybe some variation there in value and direction could be considered....but that's just so the beautiful bird, is showing more.

You're right. It's unfinished. :eek!: But I usually let a painting stew for some days when I think I,ve finished! Thanks Colleen for that, it had been bothering me! ;)

The problem here was two-fold: whether to include everything in that stump, even if it interfered with the eventual outcome?
How to make the Wheatear seem inconsequential to the outcome, and not the main focus of the picture.

Honesty sometimes is not the best policy.
I will look at it over time and eventually see what needs to be done. Also, even thought the Wheatear IS "off-centre", it's still a little too close to centre for my liking!

Thanks Tim and Nick for comments also! ;)

To take the heat off this. Here's some more from past "screevings..." (Great) Bitterns. A bird I found hard to draw, until I began to see more of them, and understand how they are put together. The bird in the line-drawing has an "enlarged culmen!" But it was drawn in 92! The "painting" was my attempt to recollect a Bittern on a frozen January day in 2009. I think I might've had a few the night I did this! B :)
 

Attachments

  • bak 2.jpg
    bak 2.jpg
    284.5 KB · Views: 66
  • Bittern1.jpg
    Bittern1.jpg
    213.6 KB · Views: 77
Great wheaty! I absolutely adore twisty old bits of root and twig, they almost always make a great setting for whatever bird and a wheatear couldn't be any more perfect. I always find with woody bits that the paint does most of the work, it's such an organic thing that 'mistakes' just add to the reality. And the best thing is you can include or exclude whatever you like to help the painting, who's going to tell you you're wrong!

Bittern no.1 I like, but bittern no.2 is a stonker! Very reminiscent of Michael Warren.

Mike
 
I love bitterns - they're the bird that got me sketching so I feel very attached to them - I've also managed to see 2 of them as vagrants in my old local patches - Belvide in Staffs and Aberystwyth (that one was strange in a tiny ditch!). You've caught that moitionless piercing stare where time stands still bt will start again at any minute.
 
if you had a ew when you painted that, have a few every time you paint Phillip! (you xenophobic old royal!;))

Nick is right, the stare of the Bittern is absolutely spot on. and the amount of thought and care you put into the background is second to none. Amazing stuff again!

P.S you've overtaken my thread already! Need to get some Welsh sketches up very soon!
 
One has to be soooo careful how one puts things on the Art Forum! I could sketch a beard in on the Bittern if it helps? ;)

It does make you wonder about the mental state of the inhabitants doesn't it?;);)

Nice work all around Phil. I definitely know what you mean about letting a work sit at the end until you're really sure it's done. That's always the hardest part for me, knowing when it's really done. I do think you've done a great job of incorporating it all, the wood, the bird and the grassy background, which has an appeal all its own.
 
Only just noticed those bitterns of yours Phil....'stonking' about covers it...!

ps...SolitaryV....i do hope that 'mental health' comment wasn't aimed in any way at me......[chuckle]...! They are prescription drugs i'm on you know...B :)

Most artists i know are completely nuts.....i'm the only sane one....[ha]...!

Good health...mental and otherwise....to you all...:t:
 
forgot to say the bit is delightful....tho I've been in the marshlands many times I've never see one of these. Hope I do someday...
 
Thanks all for your kind comments and great humour!

Here's a few more from the dim and recent past...

Middle-Spotted Woodpecker: Looked all over for them in Poland. Then came face to face with one. Very close! Feeding from the Elk feeder in the captive collection of large mammals, at Puszca Bialowieska. A bit like a Great-Spotted coming to the bird feeders! Painted May 2004, as Poland entered the EU.

Woodlark: Common around Zlotoria in Poland, where my friends live. This shows a typical view on a wire of a singing bird. The background is Zlotorian field and forest edge. I find this pleasing, but purely a decorative piece. Painted 2008,

Pied Flycatcher: Spent 3 days in my garden in the early 90s, on passage. I was always worried the cat would get it. It was so confiding. It also shows the origin of my 2 year old Avatar! And perhaps celebrates its passing! Have a new Pied Fly painting in the pipeline. Have to work it out though.

Oh BTW Gropper? It's Philip with one "L". ;)
 

Attachments

  • middle-spotted woodpecker1.jpg
    middle-spotted woodpecker1.jpg
    134 KB · Views: 63
  • woodlark 1.jpg
    woodlark 1.jpg
    360.9 KB · Views: 70
  • pied fly.jpg
    pied fly.jpg
    163.3 KB · Views: 61
Last edited:
super stuff - Middle Spot is one of my favourites (hence the avatar) and that woodlark is just gorgeous - as are the sketches - going to be late for work if I say all I want to say about them, so I'll just leave it at that and go and get ready!
 
woodlark my pick of the bunch. but they are all absolutely fantastic! however, the time spent making the background look so damn good on the woodlark make it my fav, maybe a decorative piece but still almost too good to be true!
 
I have to go with the sketchbook Phil. I do really love your sketchbooks, AND I'm happy to now know what your avatar is. That's really a great sheet of sketches.
 
Thanks all for your responses!

It's the weekend and I'm "cat-sitting" :cat: for my partner, who's in Barcelona. Poor her! :-C
As I don't have a working scanner here, I can't post any of my recent sketches and paintings. However, as she lets me use her 'puter, (which becomes my 'puter on Monday. ;)) I've found a few more on her hard drive.
So here's a couple from the past 2 years (Not 100% happy with these.). And a Black Woodpecker from the early noughties (I think it was to celebrate seeing my first in Poland. I first thought it was a crow in flight! Got quite familiar with them after that. One of my all time favourite birds.)

Have a great weekend! |:D| B :)
 

Attachments

  • crane2.jpg
    crane2.jpg
    259.6 KB · Views: 54
  • black woodpecker.jpg
    black woodpecker.jpg
    39.8 KB · Views: 59
  • gcgrebes.jpg
    gcgrebes.jpg
    266.9 KB · Views: 55
if you ain't 100% happy with these what will you be 100% happy with Phil! Absoluely perfect, but if you can improve on perfecction please do, I wouldn't put it past you or anyone on here!:t:
 
Black woodpecker is just fab! what a sight that must have been,

been feeding some Downy woodie nestlings at the Bird Rescue Center, and even at that stage they peck rat a tat tat, and cling to the net over the top of the nest basket like a tree bark....

how big is that bird?....other sketches are super but that black one has all my attention
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top