Welcome to Nick's dining room table. (1 Viewer)

nickderry · Jun 23, 2007

I'd be proud of work like this now, if I was still able to do it, and also happy to be seeing birds like this again. I think I may have to move somewhere else where there are birds on tap and where there is a place to sketch in comfort (instead of sketching the same birds all the time whilst standing up in the company of joggers). The only hides I've seen in my region are for shooting from! (I'd use them for sketching, except for in thick woodland I'd see more walking!)

ARTHUR BISHOP · Jun 23, 2007

These are great Nick I was trying to thinkwhat I was doing at 16, it's so long ago for me. I lived in Cley then and the hot spot then was the East Bank by Arnolds Marsh with RAR.

timwootton · Jun 23, 2007

It would be crass to do a critique on this collection of drawings, but I must applaud the young Mr Derry - this prodigious output certainly not only shows brilliant observational and artistic skills, but also heralds the arrival of one of the best naturally gifted artists whose work I've had the pleasure of seeing - tremendous! It's peculiar to see the connecting line through this work and the very best of your recent stuff - like handwriting, I suppose, but now you are drawing with that greater subject knowledge and young-man angst vigour. A potent cocktail, indeed.
I've already told you privately, but I really think you have the potential to be one of THE wildlife artists of the era -the fact that you can 'play' with media and subjects as you have done recently, only shows what a huge amount is in the locker. Do the right thing - buy your campervan - tour europe and paint plein air - and get published. It really can't be far off.
It's a b*gger that I can give you a full 20 years and look back on this sort of talent.

nctexasbirder · Jun 24, 2007

WOW Nick.......

nickderry · Jun 24, 2007

I've got a stinking hangover, a splitting headache, it's 2:30am and I'm not tired. So am working on another hangover - no, not more alcohol, I'm doing another purple heron painting, same pic that didn't work 5 times before. Maybe going to be an all-nighter! (Haven't done one of those since the night before my final exam last year, not revising of course - staying up all night with an online karaoke site!)

Oh, and a great tit I painted this afternoon.

nickderry · Jun 24, 2007

Headache gone thanks to paracetamol, a bit further, why am I doing an A2 pic in PENCIL CRAYON???? Doesn't look like I've got much further at all!

jomo · Jun 24, 2007

Didn't work 5 times before? I have to say, Nick, you're skypointing herons is one of my all-time favourites (was my desktop pic until recently, I just loved the splashy watercolours over the crayon on the back of the right heron, and the clean markings down the neck). One of those pieces I'll spend ages staring at just trying to figure out how it was done. Although if you want to paint more ... I won't complain!

And although I'm repeating everyone else ... if I could do THAT ten years ago ... hell, if I could do that NOW! I think the shrike with the hidden face is my fave, I'd be too tempted to draw it in if it were me!

nickderry · Jun 24, 2007

I'd better finish the adjustment to the skypointing herons if you like it that much ( the beaks were too short, and it just started to get to me - don't worry - that's all I'm changing! ) Painted them over in white acrylic, now just need to splash a bit of watercolour over them.

I had to do another version because in my sketchbook there is a little composition scribble that needs to be done, it was one of those 'this is going to be your best pic ever' sort of moments. So it's 4am and I'm still going!

nctexasbirder · Jun 24, 2007

do you do your watercolor sketches on sketch paper?

nickderry · Jun 24, 2007

I just use heavy cartridge paper, my current sketchbook is quite nice, quite heavy cream-coloured paper, the previous one was little more than photocopier paper in a spiral binding! I went through a stage of taking watercolour paper out with me, but found that I was reluctant to do much sketching until I'd found a whole scene to paint, so a bit counter-productive (and expensive!)

nickderry · Jun 24, 2007

A bit more done, and now I'm painting EXACTLY like I was painting in 1998!

nickderry · Jun 24, 2007

finished, now I suppose I should mark the kids' work for tomorrow.

ARTHUR BISHOP · Jun 24, 2007

Nick this is spot on,the light and composition on the ball. are we having a another version to keep us happy too.

timwootton · Jun 24, 2007

Beautiful Nick (although, like Jomo, I loved the previous version). This is another step onwards from the previous - I admire hugely your knowledge of light and how it effects forms within a scene - the right-hand bird almost totally backlit whereas the other in a flood of sun - high-order stuff, this.

buzzard12 · Jun 25, 2007

Pretty much all been said already, a superb painting. A deft touch and so delicately handled.

I seem to remenber you say you felt you could not paint reeds, well that's news to me looking at this! Habitat is really well rendered. Well done on this one Nick...

nickderry · Jun 25, 2007

I can't paint reeds without changing the way I work, as you all know, I'm a big fan of the big brush! To get this one done, I did the whole picture in faint pencil crayon before adding watercolour (labouriously and meticulously). Not how I usually work now, but interestingly, as I said, how I used to work in 1998.

Thanks for the comments everyone, I think this is one ghost I can put to rest now, hmmmm, those grebes were never done to my satisfaction (thinks about getting new ghost out)!?!

jomo · Jun 26, 2007

Very different feel to this version, but I like it! Labourous and meticulous it may be, but it doesn't look it -- lots of movement here. Glad you've got something you're satisfied with (and the perseverance to keep at it 'til you are). In the mean time, we get to enjoy everything you put out between here and there.

peter mathios · Jun 26, 2007

You really nailed this one!!! There is a real sense of depth in the reeds. They are a pain to paint - that's for sure- but you do them incredibly well.

Mouldy · Jun 26, 2007

I've only just started reading these threads again properly due to new baby syndrome and a seemingly endless general state of zombieness but having looked at some of the galleries I see I've missed some cracking stuff.
I can only agree with the sentiments of the previous posts, this Heron pic is one of the best I've ever seen, beautifully composed and I think it's the angle the viewer is looking in at the picture which makes it special, I feel like I'm actually crouched in the reeds looking through at the scene, and the sense of movement of the reeds is captured perfectly. Brilliant, long may you continue to find your form and reap the rewards your work deserves.

nickderry · Jun 26, 2007

Sunday's sore throat was upgraded to a MAN COLD http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rXLHWmjA5IE yesterday and now seems to be the first time in my life that I have had the flu! I'm absolutely knackered from sitting here doing nothing!

So, inspired by Arthur's success with the crayons and Woody's yellow wagtails, I decided it's about time I sorted out a nice yellow wagtail of my own (let's face it, my previous attempt was hideous!) So here's how it's coming along:

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