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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

From the sketchbook... (1 Viewer)

buzzard12 said:
Have worked on both of these today. Blackbird jpeg colour is off but you will get the general gist. magpie at very early stages, long way to go yet...

Both of these are fantastic.!! Great job!!
 
Well, apart from a few minor finishing touches this one is finally almost complete. Any observations, suggestions or critiques most welcome. Going to sit back for an hour with a glass of Cote de Rhone!
For interest have added a photo of the working sketch for the piece, now a bit crumpled, gives an idea of what I work off...
Sorry the photos are not great, due to the artificial light the colour is yellow cast and tha liquitex in the acrylic in the actual blackbird is picking up the flash. Will post this in the gallery and here when I get a good photo in natural light...
 

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ARTHUR BISHOP said:
he looks puffed up and content sat there

Was a rather cold day. Came across this guy huddled in a corner near a bird table, sat for ages, probably well fed! Made a very cooperative subject, often I walk past birds like this...
 
Worked a bit on the magpie tonight too, just done. Still a long way to go. Think the background needs some light tones,will think on it...
 

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Finished Painting...

Last few bits this morning, little more shadow on foliage and added the hindfoot, so think I will leave this now.

Painting is 40cmx40cm, Acrylic on Canvas. Have added a couple of details of the Blackbird.

Have posted in Artwork and Graphics secton of the Gallery, better image there.
 

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Sorry I missed the progress of this - the end result is a lovely, intimate painting. As you mentioned, we often ignore birds like this, but a wonderful image like yours helps to remind me why I love birds - not just unusual ones, all of them.
Cheers - one pint of black on the house.
 
timwootton said:
Sorry I missed the progress of this - the end result is a lovely, intimate painting. As you mentioned, we often ignore birds like this, but a wonderful image like yours helps to remind me why I love birds - not just unusual ones, all of them.
Cheers - one pint of black on the house.

How is the Guiness in Orkney? ;)

Have a few days off this week, thaw is here roo so will be able to get out, might try a new location somewhere, feel like a change...
 
Capercaille Preliminary work...

Saw this bird on March 5th and it made quite an impression. While watching the bird from only a few feet I only made a few very quick and rough sketches as I saw a posture that interested me in terms of shape. While these sketches are rather poor they are still useful and one of them became the basis of a future painting.
Took a lot of photographs the same day and these provide me with all the finer details that I need for the finihed work. Worked the black pen sketch up from combination of the initial field work and photos...
Will probably add more space to the left of the bird and add some greenery in the form of some pine needles in the foreground at the bottom left of the frame...
 

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I'm with Jomo, what a bird!

It's gonna be an unusual painting too, it's not often people paint bird's bums! (Although there's plenty of photos on the net!)

Woody
 
You've amassed a wealth of excellent reference material for this piece, Alan - and the video footage could also contribute. look forward to seeing this one develop - I think the focus on the bird as it displays offers great opportunity to make a strong graphic painting. Good stuff - drawings are, as usual, superb.
 
definitely strong focus on the bird, such a fantastic subject deserves all the attention, if I'd seen it I doubt I'd have even noticed anything around it. Great sketches!
 
Thanks for the encouragement all....

Will perhaps try get a bit more done on the magpie first before I start on the Caper in case I neglect it!
 
Goosanders and Goldeneyes..

Tyresta slott today on a warm, sunny spring day, the first of the year. Was a real pleasure to be out there today. Hands warm too!
Two obliging pairs of wildfowl on the new open water in the margins made really nice cooperative subjects!
 

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Another wonderful group of drawings, Alan. You are in danger of having too many brilliant ideas (why not share them around a bit ;) ) - each page of sketches appears to have the makings of a great 'finished' piece. Nice to have warm hands, too (bet the girlfriend appreciates them ;) )
 
timwootton said:
Another wonderful group of drawings, Alan. You are in danger of having too many brilliant ideas (why not share them around a bit ;) ) - each page of sketches appears to have the makings of a great 'finished' piece. Nice to have warm hands, too (bet the girlfriend appreciates them ;) )

She has mixed feelings on them Tim, she finds it quite difficult to wash the black biro ink off!
 
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