Well - so it's a bit of both. Great result, too.
Oftentimes, when viewing this thread in particular, I get a real urge to see the work in the flesh - I bet there's so much happening in the surfaces that we don't get via this medium of t'internet.
The shrike sketches do it for me Ed, esp. the one with lizard in his mouth!
a Holy nest! hope it had a great Easter morining with lots of fish
middle sketch super! painting, need to integrate the bg more with the painting right now they are 2 separate things not working together, bird is beautiful
you have identified the problem in one- birds against a cloudless blue sky
I did have more bird colours in the sky but but back-tracked a bit
I've got a frigatebird I want to get out of my system which presents the same trouble
I'm with Colleen on the middle sketches. I'm familiar with that lone bird against a brilliant blue sky problem. It is difficult. I do wonder if you're making it even harder with a squarish format? Am I wrong or didn't you also use that on another recent painting? I suppose it's possible that you've always used it and I just missed it but I hope I'm not really that unobservant! Always possible though!
I did invest in a few square canvas boards, so well spotted: just for change really as the long rectangle was gettign a bit too obvious a tactic
the colour version hasn't really worked so I will give it a thwack of lightening with Colleen's comments in mind, then mark it down to experience
but also am looking around for some good examples of rendering of blue sky