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From the sketchbook... (2 Viewers)

Hi Alan, I have been enjoying your drawings, last night I went through the whole thread and it was time well spent. Your drawings are wonderful, as good as I have ever seen. I love how the eyes that you draw look wet and then the expressive way the rest of the bird is finished. It has started me to think about how I apply paint and how interesting it would be to blend two different ways of painting into one work. Thank you for sharing your art, I'll be looking forward to your new posts. JR
 
John Richard said:
Hi Alan, I have been enjoying your drawings, last night I went through the whole thread and it was time well spent. Your drawings are wonderful, as good as I have ever seen. I love how the eyes that you draw look wet and then the expressive way the rest of the bird is finished. It has started me to think about how I apply paint and how interesting it would be to blend two different ways of painting into one work. Thank you for sharing your art, I'll be looking forward to your new posts. JR
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Absolutely.
 
eiders are great studies, buoyant and moving - I still can't get my head round their proportions at all when I see them, these sketches go a long way in explaining them.
 
John Richard said:
Hi Alan, I have been enjoying your drawings, last night I went through the whole thread and it was time well spent. Your drawings are wonderful, as good as I have ever seen. I love how the eyes that you draw look wet and then the expressive way the rest of the bird is finished. It has started me to think about how I apply paint and how interesting it would be to blend two different ways of painting into one work. Thank you for sharing your art, I'll be looking forward to your new posts. JR
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Glad you enjoyed them John, many thanks for the kind words...
 
Been spending a lot of time on large gulls at a site very close to our apartment of late, as has benn the case betwenn July-September in the last three years, where I have been studying large gulls closely. The three large species regular there are Argentatus Herring Gull, Baltic Lesser Black-backed Gull and Great Black-backed Gull. I now feel I have a solid grasp of the plumage, moult and variation in these birds, finally. Spent the day sketching them yesterday, concentrating on Baltic Gull 1st calenders, which are stunning birds at times..the first drawing is of one of those birds, a plale phase type with exceptionally dark upperparts. The last one is a carefully drawn copy of the fieldsketch done at home last night of another well marked pale type. Whilst I do like the drawing done at home, I think there is so much more life in the field drawing..
 

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Here a Greater black-backed Gull which has been about for several weeks and is now coming to handouts of food, as well as a 3rd Calender Argetatus Herring Gull and a 2nd calender done in black ballpoint biro. All these drawing are largish, done on A3 drawing pad with nice heavy paper and a HB pecil,sharpened frequently...images can be double clicked for view in detail. Very happy with the days results, all will make excellent references.
 

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This series epitomises all that is good and great about investigatve field-study; it harks back to the golden age of discovery whilst simultaneously absolutely of the moment. Work of this calibre just has to be seen by the widest possible audience; it fires the imagination and plucks the Art strings. Beautiful, creative & intelligent work.
 
I'll echo what TW's just said. These are a real pleasure to look; beautiful, educational and inspiring stuff. Alas, gulls seem to be a neglected group among some extremely capable artists, which is a shame. Work like this reinforces that special 'bond' (pass sickbag, I hear some say!) I feel with other artistically inclined larophiles. My lesser ability will exclude me, you'll understand, but your good self, Jonsson, Larsson, Elliot and Quinn are all members of a rather exclusive club.

Russ
 
Absolutely amazing field studies of gulls and as Tim W. points out, intelligent work of this caliber has to be seen by the widest possible audience. I couldn´t agree more and I will certainly “spread” the word around here.

RussB has a good point by saying that gulls seem to be a neglected group for some ( for many I would think), and this is quite unfair. They are a real challenge to study but good exercise as well as you can come quite close to them.

Torben
 
TorbenBack said:
Absolutely amazing field studies of gulls and as Tim W. points out, intelligent work of this caliber has to be seen by the widest possible audience. I couldn´t agree more and I will certainly “spread” the word around here.

RussB has a good point by saying that gulls seem to be a neglected group for some ( for many I would think), and this is quite unfair. They are a real challenge to study but good exercise as well as you can come quite close to them.

Torben
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Hi Torben,
Not sure why gulls dont have a wider appeal. I have been studying the gullls at Skeppsbron for three years now here in Stockholm and it has been one of the most rewarding exercises I have taken on to date. These birds are difficult, with ageing, moult, variation and other issues such as closely related races occuring, the Lesser Black Backed complex alone being a real identification minefield, thus my interest in these birds. It is perhaps their very difficulty which puts many off I feel, also perhaps that at the moment many of the subspecies to be found are not full species as such, which dilutes their interest for some. I can only recommend giving them a long, studious look as I find them absorbing. The approach required with these often difficult birds is often careful and considered, you have to look carefully and methodically and this is good practise when it comes to other difficult species across the birding spectrum.
Drawing these birds is one of the best ways of taking in all their features, as always. This may well become a long term project here as I intend to watch over this site as long as I am here, its right on my doorstep and allows for quick visits when only an hour or two are spare and liitle else can be done...
 
buzzard12 said:
Hi Torben,
.... These birds are difficult, with ageing, moult, variation and other issues such as closely related races occuring, the Lesser Black Backed complex alone being a real identification minefield, thus my interest in these birds. It is perhaps their very difficulty which puts many off I feel, ...
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You can say that again and I am sure that might be a major the reasons, butthat is why it should be a real challenge !

Two weeks ago I attended a talk at the Falsterbo Bird Show where Lars J. held a talk - and showed some his field sketches - about the “heuglini” and there you really go into details, but even so to me as one certainly not being in that league, it really inspired me to go out there and observe/practice even more.

Your wonderful field sketches of gulls is definitely also a great inspiration to all of us.

Cheers,
Torben
 
TorbenBack said:
You can say that again and I am sure that might be a major the reasons, butthat is why it should be a real challenge !

Two weeks ago I attended a talk at the Falsterbo Bird Show where Lars J. held a talk - and showed some his field sketches - about the “heuglini” and there you really go into details, but even so to me as one certainly not being in that league, it really inspired me to go out there and observe/practice even more.

Your wonderful field sketches of gulls is definitely also a great inspiration to all of us.

Cheers,
Torben
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Sounds like an interesting talk to say the least Torben. I recently saw a wall full of his large gull fieldwork here in Stockholm, which was nothing short of remarkable and brought home to me that field observation can still be at the cutting edge of scientific study. Gulls are perhaps the last great challenge in this regard, so many issues yet to be resolved with regard to taxa etc among these birds. Heuglini is a bird I would love to see and I still hold out hope for one at the Stockholm patch someday, though I may have to travel further afield to satisy that particular curiousity..
 
buzzard12 said:
Sounds like an interesting talk to say the least Torben...
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It certainly was, but unfortunately he was allowed only one hour. Could have gone on for much longer though.

buzzard12 said:
...Heuglini is a bird I would love to see and I still hold out hope for one at the Stockholm patch someday, though I may have to travel further afield to satisy that particular curiousity..
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Perhaps a visit over to the south coast of Gotland ( Auriv – Rivet )would be worth a try and hope to see one. Been there a few times but until now no joy - I think.
 
would love to make more intelligent comments, but all I can say is, anybody who manages to see and understand large gulls like this deserves a cartload of praise and wow!
 
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