From the sketchbook... (14 Viewers)

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

a superb group of drawings

 

[buzzard12]

Activity really picking up here and spring is unfolding rapidly. Spent the morning at the heronry at Djurgarden, a park on the coast near the city centre. A great natural amenity to have in city limits and regularily throws up interesting birds. Stayed with the herons mostly today, with a rather tame sparrow adding another page...

 

[Pluvius]

Excellent sketches yet again I love the Capercaillie. Mine are now framed and hanging in my kitchen.

 

[buzzard12]

Excellent sketches yet again I love the Capercaillie. Mine are now framed and hanging in my kitchen.

Great to hear it Craig. Hope you are well. Have been following your blog every week, most enjoyable to keep an eye on whats about back home....
Keep it up!

all the best,
Alan.

 

[buzzard12]

Worked up the Heron sketches and combined them, here is the line drawing, question now is black and white or painting, perhaps a watercolour??
Paper not blue, the light was funny!

 

[timwootton]

I thought I had already expressed what fabulous drawings the herons were ( I obviously hadn't!) - really excited to see tou making them into a combined piece. Why not use black and white acrylic and mix the tones on the sheet - would look fab.
Or do your own thing, which would probably look fabber!

 

[Strandman]

Worked up the Heron sketches and combined them, here is the line drawing, question now is black and white or painting, perhaps a watercolour??
Paper not blue, the light was funny!

ooh I like what you have done there. The beak on the right hand bird for example is much more complex shape than in the original sketch, which I think it it is why it is so convincing..how about simply going over the lines with a heavier (blacker) pencil and then stopping right there?

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

lovely drawings just waiting to see which way you go, arthur

 

[buzzard12]

Woodlark

Woodlark yesterday. Found these through an early singing bird, which continued in song the whole time I was there, wonderful backdrop on a march morning! Found three more feeding in grass and got a few quick notes down. Unfortunatly the the birds were partially concealed in grass and the white primary bases, rear end and tail were not visible

In the absence of a backdrop of singing Woodlark I have decided to add some aural candy for you all while you peruse the thread! If you wish click on link below to youtube for Scott Matthews, Elusive. Nice Track. Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAcP-HT_wM0

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

super ref drawings

 

[nickderry]

great sketches!

 

[buzzard12]

ooh I like what you have done there. The beak on the right hand bird for example is much more complex shape than in the original sketch, which I think it it is why it is so convincing..how about simply going over the lines with a heavier (blacker) pencil and then stopping right there?

Had thought about an indian ink line drawing done with a mapping pen on card. An old forte of mine due to my time as an inker at an animation studio was ink line with mapping pen floated onto an acetate sheet, but, then that requires a specialized ink and Im not sure I can get it. Would work really well though and is a very enjoyable, quick way to work.
(Indian ink would surely run over the surface of acetate as it is very thin??Will have a look at the store for something else, needs to be a little thick so that the broader lines don't run and bleed...)
I have decided I will do one image with a mix of black indian ink washes and a little linework with the mapping pen on card, a largish piece, A3 or perhaps slighlt biger to allow me to us plenty of water more some nice loose washes.
Really dont think this one needs colour.

 

[jomo]

Just caught your latest thread on Surfbirds, Alan -- great to have another look at these. (I'm still blown away by those Redpolls, wish I could be half so sure with a pencil as you are with a pen!)

 

[buzzard12]

Old Cornish sketches...

Posted these on a thread here many moons ago, from three or four years ago when I lived in Marazion, Cornwall. Ed had reminded me of the area with his lovely White Billed Diver at Hayle, painting now in progress on his thread.
Some of you may have seen these already, thought I'd post them anyway. Sketchbooks provide wonderful vivid reminders of good days out birding, regardless of how old the drawings are the memories remain very sharp when you open up the pages, a lot of good memories attached to these pages for me...

 

[buzzard12]

....and a few more...

I'm a bit overworked at the moment and not able to get out now until Thursday, planning to get some art done next week though!!

 

[timwootton]

I hadn't seen these before, Alan - they're excellent. The sanderling study looks to have all the hallmarks of a seriously good piece of fieldwork (other stuff's not bad, either )

 

[nickderry]

Beautiful, accurate work full of character. The Jack snipe is sickeningly good, it's still an ambition of mine to be able to sketch one.

 

[buzzard12]

Beautiful, accurate work full of character. The Jack snipe is sickeningly good, it's still an ambition of mine to be able to sketch one.

..the only one Ive ever seen in the open, was a star this bird. Wonderful site, Marazion, worthy of an entire exhibition!

 

[Woody]

I always look forward to seeing your fieldwork Alan. These are wonderful, my favourite is the sanderling, getting those plumage details marked is quite a challenge and you've risen to it terrifically well.

Woody

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

the sketches are superb my vote goes for th Sandling too.