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Montana Bird Art (1 Viewer)

Thanks John. I'm NZ7M. Haven't been very active for the past few years. Used to be a big DX chaser. Too busy painting and birdwatching now!!
 
Another belated Happy Birthday Sid! I was thinking of you when we were on vacation last week and drove by a Ruffed Grouse along the side of the road. So we backed right up to him and took a better look. He barely moved. It was the first grouse we'd ever seen and I was just overwhelmed at how beautiful they are. That of course made me think of your Dusky Grouse watercolor that I saw way back when. Much more appreciative of it now having actually seen a grouse.
 
Thanks for the birthday wishes Colleen and Ken. I'm still here so I guess it was a good birthday!! Keep bugging me Colleen, I need the inspiration. I have several paintings started and I'm not getting them finished. I'll just keep slogging along.
 
No, I am not lost in the Rocky Mountain wilderness nor have I been devoured by grizzly bear or wolf! I've just been procrastinating--a skill well-honed after years of experience. But wait! I do have a couple of new paintings and more underway. I will post details tomorrow ...unless those wolves come back!!!
 
Looking forward to the return, Sid! Given where you live, I figured you might appreciate this story. I have several bird feeders up in the back yard - have had for at least five years. Our yard butts up to a golf course, and across the golf course is a large, permanent greenbelt - plus although I guess we're kind of 'suburbia' here, it's a Pacific NW suburbia. Tons of trees, deer, bobcat, cougar and bear are always around in the woods (plus a herd of about 400 elk only a few miles from here). Anyway, I'd never had issues with feeders except twice with a racoon, and I figured out baffles to defeat the squirrels and coons.

But a couple nights ago I was working on the computer at the kitchen table and heard a loud CRASSSSHHHHHH! out back. Grabbed the flashlight, opened the door, walked out on the steps and the flashlight shone on a BIG (350-400 pounds easily, and I'm used to estimating weight of wildlife, not overestimating like so many do) black bear stuffing his face with suet from my suet feeder. He had snapped off the metal pole on which my feeders were mounted, about as easily as I would break a twig. We were both equally startled to see each other and he ran off (reinforcing with me how hopeless it would ever be to try to outrun one of these guys - they are FAST). As I expected, he came back about a half hour later so I was waiting and threw a rock and scared him again - this time he ran off with the suet feeder in his mouth, so I have to buy a new one...! So now, until I'm sure they're hibernating for the season, the suet and sunflower seed feeders come into the garage every night. And I take a flashlight and make a lot of noise when I take the dogs out at night for their potty break walks...! At least here we don't have grizzlies to worry about like you do.
 
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Interesting adventure, John. Had that same problem once here in MT.

Here's some new sketches from earlier this week of Long-billed Dowitchers--late "hangers-on" in this area.

Got two to load but third one won't for some reason. Will try sending that and some painting pics this evening when internet traffic is slower.
Ah, the joy of "dial-up" internet connections!
 

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thanks, John, Phil and Ken:

No, not the first, but it's been so long you have forgotten!! More coming today.

I have always sketched with ball-point pens but, looking at these and comparing them with other pencil sketches I've decided that mine are not as aesthetically pleasing as those done with a nice soft pencil. Guess I'll have to work more with pencil, which I use for all my studio studies, prelim. sketches, etc.
I switched to pen many years ago because I didn't like how pencil work in a sketch book would smear all over the drawing and the facing page. How do you field sketch gurus account for this? Do you carry a can of fixative with you in the field?
 
mine smear too unless I use a #2, but I like the softer leads, my mechanical pencil seems to smear less tho the lead is still not too hard.
 
Here's a few more Dowitcher sketches, a page of sketches at an Osprey nest (made earlier this summer), and a first go at an "Ospreys at nest" watercolor. I'm not at all happy with the painting. I feel it is much to stiff and has too much background. I intend to do it again with appropriate modifications. Guess I just need to paint more!!

After posting I can also see that the eyes need work. The adults look like they have drunk to much coffee!!
 

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sfrissell said:
Here's a few more Dowitcher sketches, a page of sketches at an Osprey nest (made earlier this summer), and a first go at an "Ospreys at nest" watercolor. I'm not at all happy with the painting. I feel it is much to stiff and has too much background. I intend to do it again with appropriate modifications. Guess I just need to paint more!!
Click to expand...

Still a nice painting Sid. My guess is that you'll be happiest if you do another version. But if you were to make a minor change to this one I wonder about sponging out the trees to the right? That might simplify it as well as give it a bit more tension in composition. But the best cure for perceived stiffness I'm sure is to try another version.

I think sometimes people don't realize what a juggling act painting is and all the things you try to do at the same time. When you put them all together it's not surprising that paintings often turn out stiffer than we intend. On the other hand many, many artists I think don't even realize that they do stiff paintings. The first step to vital painting is to know stiffness when we see it.

Keep painting, and sketching!!
 
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