Matt's watercolors (1 Viewer)

[nickderry]

the drawing of the redpoll is sublime, soft and delicate with an absolute thorn of a beak.

 

[mattybohan]

thanks so much! Redpolls are stunning creatures... they only come to my part of Michigan in really hard winters, so they are a real treat... just when you need them in the midst of the miserable cold weather. It also motivates you to keep the feeders full when the temps are WAY below freezing.

 

[nickderry]

certainly a bird that I enjoy seeing, they do have that ability to warm up a cold day. I love how such a hardy bird can look so cute.

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

the drawing of the redpoll is sublime, soft and delicate with an absolute thorn of a beak.

totally agree

 

[colleenc]

I don't know how you see these little ones so perfectly, not to mention the beautiful drawings of etched perfection you make. Yesterday I tried so see some little birds hawking over the meadow, and couldn't see any detail even with my bins.....

 

[phil baber]

Matty,

I love the way you outline your sketches. Like lino-cuts, or wood-cuts?

Brilliant stuff!

 

[timwootton]

Superb drawings Matty - but the redpoll MUST be worked up soon.

 

[mattybohan]

Thanks for all the nice comments. Looks like I need to work up the redpoll once I finish what is on the drafting table.

Phil, I think the outline/linocut look is just do to the way I build up the sketches and don't use an eraser very much. I almost always use a #4H or #6H pencil in a lead holder. I tend to work pretty quickly and very lightly at first. I make plenty of mistakes as I draw and just darken up the best line in the end. I'll keep most of the incorrect scribbles and just erase out the ones that are distracting. Leaving some of the other mistakes sometimes seems to give them a little more energy ... at least to my eye.

Colleen, to answer your Question about how to see all the detail. I pretty much use everything at my disposal to get the job done. Field sketches, museum specimens and, although this might be blasphemy to some here, I take a ton of photos. I seldom work form any one of these things, I combine all of them to get all the info I need for the details.

Photos have advantages and disadvantages. Gear is expensive and the learning curve is steep. On the other hand, you have a lot of detail if you get a good shot. Relying on any one photo can be problematic. Plumage varies, sometimes the pose is just off. That is where the field sketching has a huge advantage. You can work on a expressive pose which is dynamic. Museum specimens are great in that you can really see details of the feet, beak, and feathers, but I mostly look at study skins where there is just cotton stuffing in the eyes and the "pose" is non-existent. However, if you want to work on a painting of a ivory-billed woodpecker or labrador duck you can't be choosy.
In the end, I guess I just research it then pick and choose the information to paint from.

 

[Woody]

That redpoll is masterly. I often work in a similar way to the draw in all the lines and strengthen them as they approach what you want. The problem is that mine don't get to the level that yours do!

Mike

 

[buzzard12]

Hi Matty, exceptional work on this last post which slipped past my radar.

The Redpoll has rightly been singled out for further treatment, great sketch. Just wanted to add a mention for a wonderful Grosbeak sketch, structuarally as good as it gets, a tremendous bit of drawing...

 

[colleenc]

thanks for the explanation Matty,goes a long way to helping me understand, and gives me some ideas for resources...

 

[mattybohan]

A few sketches... My lab/chow mix, blue jay and gray treefrog

 

[timwootton]

All excellent Matty - I really like the graphic nature of these pieces, beautiful drafting!

 

[colleenc]

you have an illustrator's line Matty strong sure and so uniquely descriptive.

 

[nickderry]

I loves the frog!

 

[phil baber]

Nice bold studies!

Matty, these are superb, and strong, and happy artworks!

 

[mattybohan]

Another flying animal, but not a bird. This time its a female ebony jewelwing.
This is a 5x7 inch transparent watercolor on Lana 140lb HP paper.

A work in progress can be seen here.

 

[birdboybowley]

Nice detailing, esp the transparency of the wings. Never tried painting a bug......except in a bird's beak of course!

 

[nickderry]

an outstanding triumph this one!

 

[Woody]

Just brilliant. The level of detailing is perfect for such a subject, bringing out all the intricate beauty that's only visible with close observation.

Mike