• 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.

Mike's conservatory (2 Viewers)

Woody said:
Must admit, seven hours travel a day including walking, coaches and that bluddy bike, is proving a bit much at the moment but I'm beginning to feel like I need the therapy of painting about now.

Mike
Click to expand...

That is a truly inhuman, or inhumane, commute! I knew you thought it would be bad but that's about the worst I've heard of. Good luck with it! Maybe when warm weather arrives you'll at least find something redeeming in it.........
 
Woody said:
Well I seem to have dropped off the first page!

Can't have that...

I've had the creative stuffin' knocked out of me by the office move to Paddington. Not an awful place really, just awful to get to and from, it's currently taking about 3 and a half hours each way...
Also had a nasty chest infection brought on by the icy air so all in all I've not really been feeling much like painting and drawing.

However, the snow had it's advantages, I had a couple of 'snow days' off work, after all I simply couldn't struggle in so I offered to 'work from home' ;) and spent the day in the conservatory watching the snow fall.
Mike
Click to expand...
Fabulous sketches Mike. I too had some snow days off but I did actually work at home, so no sketches for me! However, I did have plenty of opportunity to watch the birds in the garden. Lovely to see yours, with the cold weather we have had redwings,fieldfares and also a rather lovely resident blackcap:)
My commute is nearly an hour each way and I think that is enough! I think you deserve some more snow days... and I look forward to the results ;-)
 
I don't know if anyone remembers this sketch of a Norfolk landscaape that I'm particularly fond of, but I think it's my next project. I've used the view before but since I love it so much I figure another go won't hurt. The barn owl is from a worked up sketch (also from Spixworth) and I've put him in as a quick cut out in photoshop. I quite often work this way, using the computer to work out if layouts are any good, it's quick and easy.

There may be a few additions, subtractions and tweaks as I go but basically I think this is it. It's another barn owl flying in another landscape I know, but sometimes you have to just go with how you feel rather than trying to 'push the envelope' all the time.

I'm off to sand down some gessoed MDF...

Mike
 

Attachments

  • spibarnylayout.jpg
    spibarnylayout.jpg
    89.2 KB · Views: 59
  • mornret400.jpg
    mornret400.jpg
    65.5 KB · Views: 58
There's something about a pencil sketch with just a bit of bright color in it that has always appealed to me. That first sketch really is exciting even though unfinished. It's like the owl has arrived on the scene so quickly and quietly the scenery hasn't had a chance to "catch up" yet! This is bound to be a striking painting.

Sid
 
Just a few sketches from the last couple of outings. The reserve has been relatively quiet and the weather not very conducive to good birding! See the blog for a write up of this Sunday.

Mike
 

Attachments

  • foxrun.jpg
    foxrun.jpg
    9.7 KB · Views: 37
  • snipesleep.jpg
    snipesleep.jpg
    22.5 KB · Views: 38
  • 4lappys.jpg
    4lappys.jpg
    28.4 KB · Views: 33
  • dux.jpg
    dux.jpg
    23.6 KB · Views: 35
  • brents1.jpg
    brents1.jpg
    27.2 KB · Views: 35
Couple more
 

Attachments

  • brents2.jpg
    brents2.jpg
    18.1 KB · Views: 30
  • cornbuntl.jpg
    cornbuntl.jpg
    30.2 KB · Views: 42
  • cootsktch1.jpg
    cootsktch1.jpg
    22.6 KB · Views: 34
  • cootsktch2.jpg
    cootsktch2.jpg
    10.1 KB · Views: 34
lovely sketch's mike,particularly the snipe and tucked up ducks.so reminiscent of my last trip out with teal,wigeon and snipe all tucked into the grassy banks around the lagoon whilst nature threw it's worst at them!
 
colleenc said:
full of life and energy, love the lap page composition, and do I spot a Brants there? a but pudgier than ours in California;)
Click to expand...

It was very, very cold Colleen, I suspect the feathers were puffed up a bit! Mind you, these guys will be off to Siberia soon, you'd have thought they'd be used to a spot of chillyness!

Mike
 
There is a fairly popular bumper sticker over here that says "I'd rather be fishing." Whenever I see sketches like these I always think "I'd rather be sketching. Time to walk out of work and into the field!"

I particularly like the last four as well.
 
Managed a couple of hours today so here's a couple of wip's. There's been a bit more progress since wip 2, the big dark patch under the owl's been knocked back a bit and the background trees have come on a bit and so on. Still a long way to go but I think this one might work now. (Edit:Typically the pics are not in the right order!)

Mike
 

Attachments

  • WIP1.jpg
    WIP1.jpg
    57.1 KB · Views: 50
  • WIP2.jpg
    WIP2.jpg
    54.4 KB · Views: 54
Warning! This thread is more than 11 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

chill6x6
SFL vs. Aurora...
2 3
Replies
40
Views
3K
tenex
tenex
G
Several Svbony ED's spotting.
Replies
0
Views
669
Granpoli
G
M
Moving/Will miss my birds
Replies
10
Views
907
Kellyhrclr1
K
Linda S
Coal Tit care
2
Replies
20
Views
990
Linda S
Linda S
L
Is my bluetit family behaving as it should?
Replies
5
Views
143
maplekong
M

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)
Back
Top