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Starting from scratch- Dryslwyn's first sketchbook. (1 Viewer)

Talking of determination! I was really hung up on wings and feather patterns last week. I looked at plumage and it seemed an incomprehensible nightmare. I wasn't going to post this but these diagrams I found have really helped me and if there are any novices like me out there I hope they help you too.
In my head now I have worked out that if you look at a folded birds wing you are seeing the secondary feathers attached between wrist and elbow and the primaries are tucked underneath,
Of course the whole thing is then complicated by overlapping body feathers above and below.
If I am wrong PLEASE put me right.
 

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dryslwyn said:
Talking of determination! I was really hung up on wings and feather patterns last week. I looked at plumage and it seemed an incomprehensible nightmare. I wasn't going to post this but these diagrams I found have really helped me and if there are any novices like me out there I hope they help you too.
In my head now I have worked out that if you look at a folded birds wing you are seeing the secondary feathers attached between wrist and elbow and the primaries are tucked underneath,
Of course the whole thing is then complicated by overlapping body feathers above and below.
If I am wrong PLEASE put me right.
Click to expand...
No, Wendy - looks like you've pretty much got it to me ;)
LOVELY anatomical drawings and the Jackdaw is another beauty! (absolutely magical piece of work, describing the plantain in such a way, with the 'daw almost a landscape feature, in its own right.) I think I'm gonna have to save up some pennies for one of yours!
 
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For somebody who claims to be a beginner in bird painting, let me point out Wendy, that you're not supposed to reach such great heights yet! Those jackdaws are absolutely wonderful, the sketches seem to be done with one sweep of the brush and the painting is a beauty. You should be very pleased with these.
 
nickderry said:
For somebody who claims to be a beginner in bird painting, let me point out Wendy, that you're not supposed to reach such great heights yet! Those jackdaws are absolutely wonderful, the sketches seem to be done with one sweep of the brush and the painting is a beauty. You should be very pleased with these.
Click to expand...
Correct, Nick - It does 'p*ss One off, somewhat, I must confess, to see this quality from a self-confessed 'amateur' at birds. I've been trying to paint like this for bl**dy years!
 
I'd just like to third what Tim and Nick have said, you have made astonishing progress in just a few weeks, your watercolour jackdaw is a joy, made even better by the way it just sits in the beautifully painted grass-scape (think I may have invented a new word) which works as a cracking piece of composition.
 
I've been watching this thread too and I'll fourth what the others have said. The handling of that grass is masterful, and the birds are a treat. I can't get anywhere near my local jackdaws!

It's all lovely stuff and I'm totally impressed with the research you're doing, keep posting and I'll keep enjoying.

Woody
 
well its no good repeating everyone else so I'll be brief.

great stuff , its all coming together . those little jackdaw
studies are great. and the painting , well speaks for itself!
well done., more please.
 
Thanks folks - the day job is going to get in the way this week but I am trying to do a bit of bird drawing every day - hope to finally get to our local wildfowl and wetland trust at Llanelli ( clan-ek-li) on Thursday.
Dryslwyn (drus-loo-in)|;|
 
dryslwyn said:
Thanks folks - the day job is going to get in the way this week but I am trying to do a bit of bird drawing every day - hope to finally get to our local wildfowl and wetland trust at Llanelli ( clan-ek-li) on Thursday.
Dryslwyn (drus-loo-in)|;|
Click to expand...


I love Llanelli, great place. You'll get some good sketching done there for sure.
 
Just caught up with this thread after being offline for a wee bit. Wendy, your work is a breath of fresh air to my office. The forst Mallards are just amazing. The Jackdaws are also incredible. It's hard to do "black" birds-you bring a whole new dimension to your work.
 
Still trying to get more of an understanding of feather patterns and have done some copies of illustrations of main feather tracts from the front of my field guides - not posted. I need a road or cat kill ! Hoping for a good day out on the duck ponds on Thurs.
Enjoyed doing this sparrow in watercolour with a little bit of white gouache from one of many photos I have taken over the last two years or so with the intention of one day doing a drawing or painting from them.
 

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these are top class, your understanding of bird form has increased dramatically in a very short space of time.
 
dryslwyn said:
Still trying to get more of an understanding of feather patterns and have done some copies of illustrations of main feather tracts from the front of my field guides - not posted. I need a road or cat kill ! Hoping for a good day out on the duck ponds on Thurs.
Enjoyed doing this sparrow in watercolour with a little bit of white gouache from one of many photos I have taken over the last two years or so with the intention of one day doing a drawing or painting from them.
Click to expand...

Hi dryslwyn

I am in agreement with Nick, along with others here, the understanding of your subject is very accurate.

It has not taken you long to get to grips with all the correct proportions required, and all the details that are needed to achieve what you want at the end of the day.

Love the pictures a lot. It is a fantastic work of art, and in the correct way it is presented too. ;)

Well done to you !! :t:

Peewit
 
That sparrow is your best yet! They are great little birds, much under-appreciated, and studies like yours should really help to change that.

Woody
 
great drawing of the humble little sparrow.

we should all do a little tribute to the House sparrow and how
fantastic they are in character and beauty.

I agree with the others, I think the sparrow is the
best yet.Well done Wendy.
 
Your handling of watercolour is truly masterful Wendy - superb work. I would love to be able to make paintings such as this latest sparrow, the jackdaw and, of course, the wonderful moorhens. Fabulous!!!
 
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