Recent sketches (3 Viewers)

JTMB · Sep 4, 2011

Great batch here, Russ! Wonderful variety of poses for the Dunlin - and what an opportunity to have one give you all those opportunities for sketching! We have wintering Dunlin by the thousands, but they typically stay right by the water in areas where they're only viewable at rest via a scope (if that). Usually, we see them when the resident Peregrines strafe a group and put the huge throng wheeling around in panic until there is one less and the falcon and shorebirds retreat to their between-hunt haunts.

mattybohan · Sep 6, 2011

Really looking great. Way to go Russ.

phil baber · Sep 7, 2011

RussB said:
Five more b and w's for illustrations: Ring-necked Duck, Lapwing, Grey Wag, Lesser Black-back Gull and Grey Heron. I'm fairly pleased with some of the tonal work but the vegetation under the gull is sxxxte! I still approach this kind of work with trepidation, though It's taken me nearly three weeks to do just these five. I need to get my finger out and splash around a lot more.

Cheers

Russ

You are getting there my friend. The washes are superb, and you seem less intimidated by trying this new direction. Your trademark observational brilliance has now over-ridden your explorations of new territories. What field-guide has those Grey Heron "neck-kinks?"
Not one!
IMO your strength in observational sketching of "Bird-Truths" will win out in any medium you try.
As long as you don't forget your amazing strengths, as a 1st class sketcher and observer of birds.
As always the sketches are inspirational in their personal truths. But the evolution of that into the other has made me do a Cheshire Cat, Face-Splitting Grin! Marvellous!!!:t:B

Woody · Sep 7, 2011

There's some top work here, particularly the preening coots. I can see those washes turning to colour soon too...

Mike

nickderry · Sep 7, 2011

You've been looking hard at these dunlin and found plenty of great stances and positions - I love waders, but they are so hard to do when constantly running and probing around. You've already had some great advice (hiding the legs is something I try to do often, the feet are always hidden!)

I've been struggling with feeding sanderling in the past few weeks, some observations I've made after tearing my hair out: often, the mistake in my sketches is where I've placed the head - the legs work balance wise with a different head position (in fact quite a few of my probing wader sketches have the bird poking at thin air), and also as the bird is 3D, those legs can appear to sprout from anywhere between the chest and the tail. You're doing the right thing, looking and learning and coming back with some amazing observations every time you go out. Keep it up

RussB · Sep 11, 2011

Many thnx, and cheers also to MCW for taking a look and offering, as TW says, sage advice.

Soldiering on, trying to keep 'fast and loose'. A resting Pied Wag and several yellow wag sketches. I too bemoan the lack of paserines in my sketchbooks; most of 'em move to fast for me! Wags tend to be a bit more coperative, but I do wish I could see more songsters - a case of getting a feeding station set up this winter I feel. I need to render coverts and facial patterns ultra quick. Ofcourse it's easier when you know how they lie, but I'm not getting into the old 'what you see not what you know' adage here! Suffice to say it's mine as well as LJ's!

RussB · Sep 11, 2011

Also common sand study and resting Lbbgs. Fine models they are like this. At least my old head, eye, bill length problems are slowly being resolved. The bill on the 2nd bird looks a tad too long though. Anyway, enough over analysing - I'm trying to get away from this approach!

Cheers

Russ

timwootton · Sep 11, 2011

Excellent work Russ - particularly with the wags and that terrific commonsand - bill lentgh or whatever - the overall head shape and eye/stripe relationship is absolutely perfect.

birdboybowley · Sep 11, 2011

Nice sketches Russ, esp the bottom sand.

nickderry · Sep 11, 2011

I have to confess that when I look at your sketches - I never read what you've written about them so that I can identify them for myself - again, I got 100%, which is testimony to your sketching skills more than my ID skills! Great stuff - NOW, get some of these down in compositions, you know you want to!

phil baber · Sep 12, 2011

As usual, Russ, I would be proud to call these studies "my own", if indeed they were "my own!" But, fortunately, they are yours, and you should bask in their brilliance! Superb!:t:B

solitaryVSong · Sep 12, 2011

nickderry said:
I have to confess that when I look at your sketches - I never read what you've written about them so that I can identify them for myself - again, I got 100%, which is testimony to your sketching skills more than my ID skills! Great stuff - NOW, get some of these down in compositions, you know you want to!

I don't try Nick's method because I'm unfamiliar with so many of the birds. But as I looked at the Common Sandpiper today that white of the breast arcing up in front of the wing looked familiar. Like our Spotted Sandpiper. It turns out that they're both 'Actitis', and both have that low, wing-fluttering way of flying - at least from what I just read about Common, never having one myself.

Very nice to see you working with the smaller birds to. Now just waiting to see you put some down in compositions as Nick says.

JTMB · Sep 13, 2011

Great group of sketches, Russ! I'm currently taking a (landscape) workshop on the Oregon coast, and have sketched some gulls. I still have major challenges with head and bills - yours are accurate, and so economically rendered. Very motivational - one of these days, I'll get them as easily as you seem to. B

RussB · Sep 19, 2011

Cheers, all.
A mish mash of stuff here. Studies of BHG and Ringed Plover, and then.....The man who drew crows! Studies of Carrion Crow and a page of 'em as seen from the bedroom window. Only in very exceptional circumstances do I see anything approaching the rarity of last winter's waxwings. Crows are great, though. Loads of character and definitely worth getting into bother over!
Sketches of Greenshank. Waders have been the mainstay of my efforts this autumn so far, and these are the first of many. Some real duffers here among a few acceptable shapes. I find feeding waders a real challenge so I'm concentrating on geting shapes down real fast, but I do find this very taxing mentally after a while. Only when I'm confident and/or when the birds a bit more accommodating do I sketch in some plumage -I'm mainly trying to capture the jizz.

RussB · Sep 19, 2011

Lovely (and not so lovely) shanks...

Cheers

Russ

resparza · Sep 19, 2011

:clap: They are lovely indeed!

RussB · Sep 19, 2011

A few more monochrome illustrations. Whether these end up in the bin or some unfortunate bird club's report depends on how my earlier efforts turn out!
Robin, fat Greenshank, fat Med gull, busy Greenshank and loafing Redshank. Tried a few different things here. A bit of wet in wet, a bit of dy brush, a bit of brush drawing (great for grass - not the type you smoke, though) and a fine felt tip pen.
My main objective this year was to try and do some work for publication that would reproduce acceptably and not leave me embarrased! Once I know what works I feel the sky could be the limit but until then....

Critique as ever is more than welcome - if you think there sxxt, just say it; I won't be offended. Just don't tell me you use a camera!

Russ

JTMB · Sep 19, 2011

Another great body of work here, Russ! I'm drawn to the crows, being somewhat of a Corvidaphile

. A professor (Dr. John Marzluff) at the University of Washington here has done some wonderful research on crows over several decades so I try to be accepting of their less-than-endearing behaviors. I always admire the economy of marks you use to capture such great likenesses of your avian subjects. Very impressive!

Lykos · Sep 20, 2011

on and on fantastic sketches

solitaryVSong · Sep 21, 2011

These just keep getting better Russ. I like them all but particularly the last shank drawing. I also think you're wash drawings are getting much more confident. They seem more subtle, as though you're putting in the wash areas more like a painter and less like someone feeling in the shapes created by the outlines. And they're also looking more like real compositions.

All in all a batch to be very happy with I think!

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