From the sketchbook... (1 Viewer)

[buzzard12]

...for better of for worse this is now finished! Tried to collage the green in paper as cleverly sugested by Ed above but just could not get it to look right, either with shredded or larger cut pieces.
Decided on a bold approach with a large brush and heavy paint to avoid geting bogged down, got in there and just did it, heart in mouth style!

(Your point about the earlier image is interesting Tim and I think I would agree that this has been overworked. The use of Ptaylo Blue seemed to work with the background, normally such an overpowering colour)

 

[nickderry]

I think you made a good decision on adding the green, it adds that extra layer that was missing before. Call it finished now, because from my experience collage, and particularly collages with woodpeckers in them seem to attract you back again and again to have a fiddle, and there are so many routes you can go down that it's so easy to lose track. I think this technique is one to keep exploring with, and I don't think there's anything wrong with putting paint over collage. At the moment, I like to put collage in to roughly work out the whole thing, and then scrub poster paint mixed with watercolour over the top. Really good work!

 

[buzzard12]

I think you made a good decision on adding the green, it adds that extra layer that was missing before. Call it finished now, because from my experience collage, and particularly collages with woodpeckers in them seem to attract you back again and again to have a fiddle, and there are so many routes you can go down that it's so easy to lose track. I think this technique is one to keep exploring with, and I don't think there's anything wrong with putting paint over collage. At the moment, I like to put collage in to roughly work out the whole thing, and then scrub poster paint mixed with watercolour over the top. Really good work!

Certainly needed the depth, was very flat before the foliage. Interesting exercise and will definitely try something along these lines again in the future.

 

[desgreene]

I absolutely love the finished piece. However, like Tim I keep going back for a look at the first version you posted aswell. There's just something about the way you've rendered the bark of the tree that really grabs me!

Not sure about the flatness, maybe it doesn't come over that way on the PC screen because it's back-lit.

Anyway, in short both great!

 

[timwootton]

Tremendous result - and definitely a route to follow.

 

[peter mathios]

Beautiful work! I think the green makes a great addition as well...

 

[Woody]

What a difference a day (or two) makes! Good decision on the greenery and overall a super piece of work.

Mike

 

[buzzard12]

Skywatching!

These are from yesterday, a day out in Norra Järvafältet. Light is really odd today here and I am getting a bluish tint all day with the camera, but dont think it matters too much really for sketches, so here they are.
A good day. Spent three hours at 30 M Kärret skywatching. It's kinda become my intravenous replacement of seawatching and can be even more boring, though can be rather good to. Three hours yesterday produced 18 Whooper Swan, 12 Bean Geese, 5 Skylark, a calling Woodlark, 21 Greylags, 3 Goshawk, 7 White Tailed Eagle, 3 Comon Buzzard, 26 Stock Dove, 11 Brambling and 14 Common Crossbill and a load of commoner stuff like finches, some Woodpigeon, mallards etc. as well as the wintering Great Grey Shrike in the area.
Green Pecker was found nearby and froze against the trunk when it realized I was watching, stayed like that for 5 minutes before slipping away.

 

[buzzard12]

Twite

5 twite from nearby Barkaby rounded the day off in style, love these little beasties! Not uncommon here but can be hard to pin down. These have been in the area for a couple of weeks...

 

[desgreene]

What cracking sketches!

Think I quite like the blue tint also.

Cheers,
Des.

 

[nickderry]

well you already know what i think of your sketching, and these are up to that very high standard, particularly the green woody, wow! That's it, I'm going out birding tomorrow! (Might get that woodlark - there's one been singing on my patch this week.)

 

[timwootton]

Alan - I'm finding it very difficult to say anything new and meaningful about your drawings, but I'll try. I adore the way you not only describe the form of the bird so exquisitely and succinctly with such a problematic medium as pen, but also how you introduce the concept of light into these works. Simply phenominal stuff (and, as I MAY have mentioned earlier ((several thousand times)) just waiting for cream mounts, simple frames and a monster selling exhibition!!!)

 

[Woody]

Definately agree with the previous comments. I admire the way that you are so confident with your lines, putting them down first time and so spot on. Great stuff!

Mike

 

[Andrew Ellis]

Alan like the other guy's I marvel at your skill with a pen. I to have said
all this befor an Tim is right need to see a show!!
The Green Woody is perfect and the eagles really well observed.

Your Collage by the way is great and there is something of the Gustav Klimt
about it maybe its just the inclusion of the gold thats giving me this feel.

 

[buzzard12]

the way you not only describe the form of the bird so exquisitely and succinctly with such a problematic medium as pen, but also how you introduce the concept of light into these works./QUOTE

My drawing with pen, specifically ballpoint biro came about rather simply. My father worked in Telecom Ireland when I was in my teens and used to biring boxes of company issue black biros home from the depot. I just picked them up and used them! Having done so for so long I can honestly say I much prefer them to pencil for many reasons and they remain my favourite medium to this day. The only thing you can do with pencil that you cannot with biro is erase it!
(as for the light, thats just the bits that aren't drawn!)

 

[nickderry]

and I'd add that because you can't rub it out, you're forced to get it right first time or not at all. Which is why your drawings are so strong and confident.

 

[timwootton]

(as for the light, thats just the bits that aren't drawn!)

Ahhh! Is it negative tone, positively drawn - Or - is it positively left-alone-tone?????

 

[jomo]

Effin' brill. The flight studies are incredible.

 

[cjoakley]

Effin' brill

Agree!!!

 

[buzzard12]

Weekend Trip

Do forgive the lack of sketches, but just back from the trip north. A stunning three days birding, rather frenetic though, which meant a fair amount of driving. Attached photos of main targets here, all were seen on what proved to be a hugely fortunate three days....
Very cold conditions and often dark conditions meant no field sketches were done, though will be working with photos to produce some artwork of some of the best birding I have ever experienced.
(Will of course post it all in due course...)

(A full account of the weekend now on the blog, along with a range of photos...)