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From 2006 sketchbook (1 Viewer)

2006 comes to a close

Had the chance to get in a little bit of fieldwork between Christmas and Hogmannay - the drawings of oystercatcher and swan were made at St. Mary's, Holm as part of a tuition session. It was quite an intense day, but thoroughly enjoyable as I kept working for much longer than I would usually have under similar freezing conditions - hence produced more work (I think I did 8 pages of drawings in total, plus demo., discussion and critique).
Today I took advantage of a beautiful morning and a lull in festivities to wander down the garden to make a few studies of the usual suspects - bar-tailed godwits and knot. They are lovely in the strong, low sunlight.
Ah, well, shortest day has been and gone . . . the year is at an end and so I'm making this last entry in the 2006 sketchbook.
Because it's now time to begin the 2007 sketchbook . . .
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
 

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Fantastic sketches as ever Tim..

If you don't mind me asking,which part of the bird do you start with first?

Mostly I start at the head,often the upper bill area and head and try to get the right ''jizz'',then work my way down the body.Then I'll go back to the bill/head area and work on the lower half/legs etc.

Not having observed artists ''in action'' I've often wondered if there is a
specific part of the bird where artist/field sketchers generaly start from,
rather like working from point A to point B etc?

Matt
 
Hiya Vectis

Yeah,I guess different folk develope they're own approach and style.I agree about starting with the head and body.I find it very difficult to anticipate the finer details of the drawing without the main bulk of the bird being on paper.
I've never yet been able to start a bird (or any animal) from the feet up!

Matt
 
Hi Matt, VB,
Interesting question, actually. I'm not sure I know where I start a drawing - I do know that the swan sketch started as a geometric shape I liked - I saw a kind of rombus parallelogram with a neck snaking over it - I drew the diamond shape first, really quickly and added some finer shapes as the drawing progressed. The godwits were possibly more about the body, chest and neck angle and I think I may ahve worked on these areas first (not really sure though - I'll try and pay more attention to myself in future!!!).
Happy New Year.
 
timwootton said:
The godwits were possibly more about the body, chest and neck angle and I think I may ahve worked on these areas first (not really sure though - I'll try and pay more attention to myself in future!!!).
Happy New Year.

Hi Tim

Thanks,that answers my question quite succinctly.Like you say about your godwits,the position of the head in relation to the body quite often dictates
the general posture or stance of the rest of the bird, and makes perfect sense to start with these areas first.

Looking forward to seeing work from the 2007 sketchbook!!

Matt
 
More excellent work Tim. I've been sketching oystercatchers too and will upload to my sketchbook as soon as I have time. Keep 'em coming in 2007!

Woody
 
Woody said:
More excellent work Tim. I've been sketching oystercatchers too and will upload to my sketchbook as soon as I have time. Keep 'em coming in 2007!

Woody
Look forward to seeing 'em soon, Woody. Happy New Year!
 
timwootton said:
The godwits were possibly more about the body, chest and neck angle and I think I may ahve worked on these areas first (not really sure though - I'll try and pay more attention to myself in future!!!).
Happy New Year.

Don't pay too much attention else you might lose your natural style... perhaps get someone else to watch. ;)
 
Ha ha! Cheers Paul - I don't mind folk watching as long as they can put up with the constant tirade of abuse I give myself for 'getting it wrong' all the time. I call it 'development'.
Happy Hogmanay.
 
timwootton said:
Ha ha! Cheers Paul - I don't mind folk watching as long as they can put up with the constant tirade of abuse I give myself for 'getting it wrong' all the time. I call it 'development'.
Happy Hogmanay.


Just wondering if you will carry on this wonderful thread in defiance of a new calander year or will you begin a new 2007 little number....?!!

Happy New Year and may all your paintbrushes be titanium white!(or all the colours of the rainbow!)
 
buzzard12 said:
Just wondering if you will carry on this wonderful thread in defiance of a new calander year or will you begin a new 2007 little number....?!!

Happy New Year and may all your paintbrushes be titanium white!(or all the colours of the rainbow!)
Alan - Windsor & Newton Titanium White oil paint - so creamy you could almost eat it. It just makes me want to paint seascapes with foamy surf - or brilliant white shelducks fresh in the morning sun. Better go and do one, really I suppose.
And yes, I'll be starting a new sketchbook thread - probably help me organise my thoughts a little better - ha ha! Does seem a little silly, as birds have no idea of months, and even seasons seem to be blending more and more.
Did you get any drawing done in Ireland?
Happy New Year.
 
Happy Hogmanay.

timwootton said:
Alan - Windsor & Newton Titanium White oil paint - so creamy you could almost eat it. It just makes me want to paint seascapes with foamy surf - or brilliant white shelducks fresh in the morning sun. Better go and do one, really I suppose.
And yes, I'll be starting a new sketchbook thread - probably help me organise my thoughts a little better - ha ha! Does seem a little silly, as birds have no idea of months, and even seasons seem to be blending more and more.
Did you get any drawing done in Ireland?
Happy New Year.
Hi, Tim!
Would you like to explain to me or someonelse, what do you mean with
"Hogmanay", because I haven't heard the word before.
Is that Welsh or Celtic?
Looking forward to see your first 2007 Sketchbook pages..
All the best,

Spizaetos
 
spizaetos said:
Hi, Tim!
Would you like to explain to me or someonelse, what do you mean with
"Hogmanay", because I haven't heard the word before.
Is that Welsh or Celtic?
Looking forward to see your first 2007 Sketchbook pages..
All the best,

Spizaetos
Hi Spizaetos,
Thanks for your kind comments regarding my work. with regard to your question about 'Hogmanay' - I've copied this from a website. (The extended text can be found at: www.rampantscotland.com ). And, although I have lived here in Orkney for several years, I'm actually from Yorkshire (England) - my wife is 1/4 Scottish. . . . .


"While New Year's Eve is celebrated around the world, the Scots have a long rich heritage associated with this event - and have their own name for it, Hogmanay.

There are many theories about the derivation of the word "Hogmanay". The Scandinavian word for the feast preceding Yule was "Hoggo-nott" while the Flemish words (many have come into Scots) "hoog min dag" means "great love day". Hogmanay could also be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon, Haleg monath, Holy Month, or the Gaelic, oge maidne, new morning. But the most likely source seems to be the French. "Homme est né" or "Man is born" while in France the last day of the year when gifts were exchanged was "aguillaneuf" while in Normandy presents given at that time were "hoguignetes". Take your pick!

In Scotland a similar practice to that in Normandy was recorded, rather disapprovingly, by the Church.
"It is ordinary among some Plebians in the South of Scotland, to go about from door to door upon New Year`s Eve, crying Hagmane."
Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, 1693.​
Hogmanay Traditional Celebrations
concert1.jpg
Historians believe that we inherited the celebration from the Vikings who, coming from even further north than ourselves, paid even more attention to the passing of the shortest day. In Shetland, where the Viking influence was strongest, New Year is called Yules, from the Scandinavian word. "
 
I have to admit I had long wondered about the meaning of the word 'Hogmanay'. I still wonder about 'Hootenanny' as in 'Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny'. Is it an actual Scottish word or just a made up one?
 
Vectis Birder said:
I have to admit I had long wondered about the meaning of the word 'Hogmanay'. I still wonder about 'Hootenanny' as in 'Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny'. Is it an actual Scottish word or just a made up one?
Don't know about the 'ivory tinkler's' word (I thought it was made up, but I could be wrong - often am, in fact!!!)
Happy New Year, VB (I notice there's a joke as your signature now - is this a 'less cynical' VB coming through ????!!!! ha ha!)
 
WOW!!! Your sketchbook images are amazing... I am feeling very inspired! My favorites are the long-tailed duck and the brant although they are all incredible. I think I am going to try and get out tomorrow to do some sketching. I get so tied up doing studio paintings that time flies by without getting out and do fieldwork - which is the funnest part!
Please keep posted those sketches...

Peter Mathios
http://www.mathiosstudios.net
 
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