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revivingKensArt (1 Viewer)

I'd say on the tree question, the the right hand branch works really well, with the light vertical tracks on the bark linking up to the bird and all.

Left hand branch may just a bit too dark overall and prominent for that reason- if that had some similar (reduced but similar, if it is in shade) light tracks might it all balance out, with the bird on the right hand side of a "V"?
 
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Thanks for your thoughts Ed, Tim, and Colleen,

I do like the tree since that's what I saw and is a typical habitat for the flycatcher. But you've answered my question as to whether it seemed too much. I've done a different watercolor sketch, with no tree trunk, and will probably try a few other sketches before moving on to a finished work. Might try Ed's suggestion of lightening the trunk on left.
 
loving this last lot of work with the flycatcher - the tree does overwhelm as it is I think, but it just needs to be done very simply and cleanly to knock it back into the background, perhaps the textured sky comes too forward with it too? Incidentally, my inability to keep simple watercolour washes clean, or laying a flat expanse of acrylic is why I started using collage more. Whatever you decide, keep with it - what a fantastic looking bird.
 
The charcoal drawing is wonderful!
The flycatcher is beautiful.........but reckon you will need to pale out any background a little so it doesn't detract. Gorgeous bird but quite subtle colouring. I look forward to seeing what derives from the initial sketch :D
 
Thanks Nick, Chrissy,

I'm happy you like the charcoal Chrissy. I now recall why I've held off on doing this flycatcher for so long. I just couldn't figure out what to do with the background or how to place him on the page. Still thinking about what to do and none of my quick watercolors have proven to be the answer. But one of these days I'll come to a conclusion and do something, most likely in pastel.
 
Lovely sketches, especially the water colour one. It's good to see them from a good birdwatching angle but hard to draw angle. Lots of nice fluid movements too.
 
Thanks Mosca.

Today started off hopefully. Big Snow #4 brought a Cooper's Hawk to our backyard. I had time to do a few fieldsketches and take some photos. I thought I'd do a more developed painting/drawing using the sketches and the photos.

Eight hours later and not much to show for it. I just could not capture the way that the hawk bent over its prey and ate it. I'm including the sketches and the pastel in its current state. I'm sure I'll go back into it this weekend.

I should have been continuing with the Great-crested Flycatcher but I thought opportunity was knocking on my door. Instead I think it was a Trickster doing the knocking......
 

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Great to get a predator like that in the yard. I love it when the local sparrowhawks make one of their all too rare visits to my garden. I've also had occasions when a raptor has been a powerful enough reason to stop what I was doing and commit them to canvas, they just do that to you!

Mike
 
Love it Ken they do get into awkward shapes.
Itook this one in my garden see how he sits back on his tail to change his grip. my local Sparrow Hawk the male of the pair.
 

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the excitement of the moment leaves such strong imagery on the retina, it's often hard to see which bits are what. You've got some wonderfully observed parts of the bird, the piercing eye and alert head make the picture. But as you say, you're not happy with the posture of it, in the heat of the moment, you've seen parts of the posture, but it's now hard to put them back together perhaps? My advice would be to treat the wings as separate to the body, the line of the bird's back goes very well with how you've drawn the wings, but breaks the flow of the shape between the head and the tail. I could be way off the mark, but looking at it that way often works for me (eventually!) Definitely a pic worth pursuing though - a superb and dramatic moment.
 
Thanks all! Arthur, I see an Audubon painting in that photo. I'm not an expert on Audubon by any means, but I think he would have loved the juxtaposition of the hawk, prey and flowers. What a sight.

I guess I shoiuld be thankful that yesterday was a Snow Day Mike. We get Coopers Hawks and Sharp-shinned with some regularity in winter but I'm always on my way off to work. Yesterday's snow gave me the opportunity to stay home and actually do something with this scene. Of course I don't normally see the hawk in blizzard like conditions.

Nick, thanks for your suggestions. They're always appreciated. I finally decided that the torso, especially between head and tail was a little short.So I lenthened it as much as I could without having the tail go off the page. The tail is really closer to edge than I like it, but other than adding paper like Degas would do, I'm stuck with what I have.

When I posted yesterday I didn't mention that it was really snowing hard when all this took place. In the back of my mind I thought I might try to get that into the painting. Normally I'm never convinced by paintings or drawings that attempt to show rain or snow. But I couldn't resist. Once the hawk looked good I decided to go ahead and add the snow, for better or worse!
 

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I finally started a more developed drawing of the Great-crested Flycatcher that I showed a few weeks ago. During t he meantime I've tried numerous new designs. I hated t hem all. So finally I went back to something similar.

This is only half-done. But since it's been so long since I posted something I wanted to show it in its half-finished version.
 

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looking good Ken, think the comp works well, and the boldness of the colors is part of what I expect in your work now...and is esp nice here.
 
careful now Ken, are you sure it's only half-done?? It looks a very beautifully finished piece to me! (but as I'm not familiar with the bird, maybe it isn't). Word of warning proceed with caution! There is a vibrant zing in this pic.
 
Not half-done Ken. If you must work more on this piece - do it on another; it's got the lot - vibrancy of colour and brushwork, spanking comp and zinging coour - it's a cracker and well done for persevering with the idea (but leave it, now ;) 0
 
I'm sure that you were all right, but I'd started back on this before I read anything. I suppose I shouldn't have said half-done. But I thought it would take as long to finish it as it had to get to this pont.

But now I am taking your advice. I hope I've improved it. But I think that any further fiddling would just lead to trouble. One thing I'm happy with is that I think it gets the sense of a beautiful bird on a bright morning. I have to ignore the fact now that maybe I could make it just a bit brighter........;)
 

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