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Andy's field sketches (2 Viewers)

wow thanks every one! I'm touched by your coments.

The swallows were a challenge but they made it easier as they were
milling around within I would say within 50yrds all of the time.
fliting in out of the barn doors, the ones with young anyway.
Hirundines and the Apus family are one of my fav's

and Debs yes I've tried to photograph them many times
with usually poor results! so trying to sketch them is easier
in some way's. But this is after lots and lots and lots of trying
over the years.

I still find smaller birds a challenge as they move around so much
and small fast flying birds a nightmare! I have used lots of my poor!!!
photo's to help me hone my understanding of there flight
patterns and shapes. it comes down to retaining that
snapshot of a shape in your mind and being able
to transfer that to paper. Sorry if that sounds like an over
simplification of the proccess but thats the easiest way to
explaine what I do.
 
Will try and reserect this thread a little soon with some more
field work but for now here's a painting of a Lilac breasted Roller.
one of my fav African species.This ones trying to catch escaping beatles
from a grass fire. I entered this into the Birds in Art
show this year. Alas didn't get through.

Hope You like and any crits are welcome.
 

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WoW eee! Andrew ... can honestly say have never seen a composition that mixes fire and birds! (well a logo of a Phoenix maybe ). Critique? Well you can keep ya Steve McQueen and The Towering Inferno any day. Far better than Speilberg, superb action and expertly composed story line. (The stunt man takes the accolade though ;) )
 
Dynamic, vibrant, colourful and thoroughly stupendous, Andrew. The focus and low-level composition add hugely to the drama of the piece and the action and narrative are, as Deborah alludes, of cinemategraphic quality.
It's a beauty!
 
Thanx very much . I hav'nt had a great deal of feedback about this
piece so I think I'll put it on the Gallery page and see what comes back.
I think my paintings fall into the trap sometimes of being too commertial
pandering to markets etc but I am determind to move my work into
other areas and push the subject matter a bit.

Heres another of my pieces . Peregrine and Horned puffins, Aleutian islands.
this will be in a book on the subspecies of the peregrine found
world wide illustrated by myself. Its been a labour of love and
will take a number of years to finish i think.

This Is a piece of mine thats in print and one that got accepted to
Birds in Art few years back.
 

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Thanx very much . I hav'nt had a great deal of feedback about this
piece so I think I'll put it on the Gallery page and see what comes back.

I wouldn't worry about lack of feedback- sometimes silence is the sound of dumbfounded admiration! As for the aleutian Peregrine- fantastico. This would be one where blurring wingtips definitely has worked.
 
The angle this is at really adds to the surprise of the peregrine appearing, and the sense of panic is really summed up well. Agree with Ed that some pictures just leave the viewer speechless.
 
your last tow posts - the Roller and the Peregrine and mindbogglingly good (if that's a word!) the element of suprie from the peregrine is superb and I like how you've made the wing tips blurred to suggest the shear speed of the bird. With the Roller there really is everything in this picture! I like the lighting of the bird and the view through the flames...awesome!
 
Thanx very much . I hav'nt had a great deal of feedback about this
piece so I think I'll put it on the Gallery page and see what comes back.
I think my paintings fall into the trap sometimes of being too commertial
pandering to markets etc
.

A little anecdote for you Andy:

I went to Le Cahier exhibition several years ago at the RA - this was an exhibition of Picasso's Sketchpads - mostly from his Cubist period. It was packed and people were whispering, umming and awing as we followed round the ropes in close pursuit of the visitor in front. I was behind a couple of rather 'well to do' American ladies throughout (it was hard to fall out of line!) - sooooo, they were umming and awing saying nothing in particular, until right at the end when we arrived at a glass exibit case with a few sketches depicting bull fights from early in his artistic career - then in Yanky inimitable style, one lady turned to her friend and in a loud voice across the referential hush of the darkened room:

''Yo kian finahlly saiy his Spianish in...flu..ences cumin throw hiere, Eunice'' ....''

Needless to say, a rapid pint before getting on the tube back to Victoria beckoned with alarming alacrity!

The 'mass market' feels comfortable with what it can 'recognise' - your painting style is realistic but your extremely powerful compositions, IMO, pushes every boundary of 'realistic' perspectives - it has to be a winning combination for any observer - rather like Tim's cliff top paintings gives me vertigo, I'm in the sea here struggling to swim with the last painting!
 
Well said Deborah.

I particularly love that Peregrine print - the swelling waves and the headland just visible beyond.

Also, the Redstart composite was an absolute wonder - it stirred me to start a similar styled composite on a local shepherd and his sheep.

Keith.
 
A little anecdote for you Andy:

I went to Le Cahier exhibition several years ago at the RA - this was an exhibition of Picasso's Sketchpads - mostly from his Cubist period. It was packed and people were whispering, umming and awing as we followed round the ropes in close pursuit of the visitor in front. I was behind a couple of rather 'well to do' American ladies throughout (it was hard to fall out of line!) - sooooo, they were umming and awing saying nothing in particular, until right at the end when we arrived at a glass exibit case with a few sketches depicting bull fights from early in his artistic career - then in Yanky inimitable style, one lady turned to her friend and in a loud voice across the referential hush of the darkened room:

''Yo kian finahlly saiy his Spianish in...flu..ences cumin throw hiere, Eunice'' ....''

Needless to say, a rapid pint before getting on the tube back to Victoria beckoned with alarming alacrity!

The 'mass market' feels comfortable with what it can 'recognise' - your painting style is realistic but your extremely powerful compositions, IMO, pushes every boundary of 'realistic' perspectives - it has to be a winning combination for any observer - rather like Tim's cliff top paintings gives me vertigo, I'm in the sea here struggling to swim with the last painting!

Deb, Thanks for insightful comment and praise.
 
That last painting really has the 'WOW' factor. I love the low angle and the blurred wings work perfectly. Love seeing your work.
 
Beautiful work Andy. The roller pic tells a graet story and your handling of the flames and the action is masterful.

Woody
 
Right! inspired by the wonderful stuff that has been fraight training it
onto this forum I , (although being seemingly glued to the studio
at the mo) thought I'd put some sketches on here. There's a real
mixture here so sorry about that first lot is from the
garden . Inspired by woody's sketches of House sparrows a while
back . I thought I would take closer look at Passer Domesticus.
really a bird that is neglected and full of charm.
 

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Outstanding drawings Andrew and as Nick points out - great character - spot on. The peripheral detail is lovely too - all round top stuff - well done!
 
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