Flash Bird Paintings for All (5 Viewers)

[colleenc]

worth waiting for and quite elegant

 

[nickderry]

a wonderful study of colour and light with the wheatear being the only solid form, some might say that it's just 'plonked' there and not very aesthetic - but it's exactly how we see the world around us most of the time, blind to the things around our beloved birds which command all the attention - a great piece of art for me.

 

[solitaryVSong]

Looks great Mike. I'd go with 'aesthetically plonked'. It's a bit off balance, but I always love that in a painting. It seems to hold its own against all that space to its left. Anyway you look at it though a very successful painting, esp. for a quick one.

 

[Woody]

There's no time to be fannying about trying to portray much of a background in 15 mins is there! Plonked off centre is just about all anyone can really do for composition because part of the joy of these flash paintings is the idea of "don't think, just do!"

Mike

 

[solitaryVSong]

There's no time to be fannying about trying to portray much of a background in 15 mins is there! Plonked off centre is just about all anyone can really do for composition because part of the joy of these flash paintings is the idea of "don't think, just do!"

Mike

Sounds like a perfect quote for Tim's book, though I imagine it's about 6 months too late for that!

 

[nickderry]

There's no time to be fannying about trying to portray much of a background in 15 mins is there! Plonked off centre is just about all anyone can really do for composition because part of the joy of these flash paintings is the idea of "don't think, just do!"

Mike

and therein lies the reason for it being so successful

 

[colleenc]

this is my first flash pastel I think...this exquisite goose hangs at Lake Ralphine and the light just hit the top of her head, it was so beautiful...did not have time to do any bg, so all that other stuff is a previous pastel I washed off... I think she is a canada and dom cross, very graceful girl hope to see her again.

it was really different to do pastel 9x12

 

[nickderry]

beautiful colourful whites.

 

[username]

That goose is gorgeous Colleen......:t:

 

[timwootton]

Very special, this piece.

 

[solitaryVSong]

Another example of why flash work can be so successful. Direct with no time for killing off the directness. Looks like a real portrait.

 

[Lykos]

the goose is very beautiful ,also the colours

friendly greetings Gaby

 

[Woody]

I'm so glad this thread's not been forgotten, these quickies can produce some real gems, just like this one!

Mike

 

[solitaryVSong]

As the birds of summer leave us there are getting to be fewer and fewer migrants around. Fortunately the striking Black-throated Blue warbler is often passing through into late October, maybe even November, often found eating the dark purple berries of Hercules Clubs(also called Devil's Walkingstick, due to its very thorny stems).

As relatively common as they are though I've never been able to get good photos. And the field sketches are even worse. This Sunday on a short walk we found some very cooperative ones. So I decided to do this quick flash watercolor. Blue isn't as dark and rich as it is in real life. But I think it gives some sense of it. I may eventually try a more developed pastel of this.

 

[nickderry]

love it, all the energy and striking pattern of what I imagine must be a very, very enigmatic and beautiful bird.

 

[colleenc]

def a flashy piece!

 

[username]

Would like to see a developed pastel of the black throated blue Ken....[one of my favorite Nearctic warblers]...their colors always remind me of sib blue robin males...

ps...both species are under the heading of 'cripplers'....[or stunners if you like]..!

 

[solitaryVSong]

Would like to see a developed pastel of the black throated blue Ken....[one of my favorite Nearctic warblers]...their colors always remind me of sib blue robin males...

ps...both species are under the heading of 'cripplers'....[or stunners if you like]..!

You're right they are stunners, user. I've seen quite a few of them but they never stop startling me when I see them. Here's some composition sketches. Added a very drab Tennessee warbler which was feeding in same Hercules Club. Pastel might not end up like this at all but at least if I've gotten this far it means I'll probably follow through.

 

[colleenc]

I like the top one:t:

 

[solitaryVSong]

Sometimes when I'm not sure what to do next I flip through my photos and something will jump out as fitting for a flash painting. That's what happened with this White-throated Sparrow with Sunflower seed. It's fitting since I saw first White-throated of the fall just a couple of days ago.