ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
really like this one Mike.
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Mike's conservatory (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Woody
- Start date
birdpotter
Well-known member
Yep, you are definitely on to something, Mike. Your birds are getting brighter and fresher with each painting. I think this using limited time is really working out for you.
Woody
Well-known member
I've not done a 'daily' for a couple of days. I think it's possible that committing to one a day would be 'creating a rod for my own back', so I'm going to do one when the mood strikes me! I am enjoying the process of creating these little paintings at the moment though, it's been so good for my sense of freedom when painting, letting me escape from the small brushes and get messy! Critiques more than welcome!
Mike
Mike
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nickderry
C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.
I'm really glad you're enjoying these, because they are top notch, the freedom in them is so apparent. Though I've always greatly admired your more detailed stuff, you know that my preferences have always been with the 'bang it out' method of painting, I'm just in awe.
Woody
Well-known member
Thanks Nick.
I know I keep saying it but the process itself is fun, I feel like a 'proper' artist whilst I'm doing it.
Also, I've been visiting art galleries lately, the Tate Britain, V+A, National portrait Gallery and the National Gallery, and studying the work on display. I like the fact that with a lot of it, there is an illusion of detail but, on close inspection, you can easily see the artist in the brushwork etc. so all that is having a good influence on me.
My problem is that, when I'm finished one of these or any of the other looser stuff, I sometimes feel as though I've done the underpainting and then I start thinking, 'where's me little brush?' I actually have to force myself to stop painting. Then the problem becomes; Have I finished a sketch or is this a finished painting?
I'm still struggling with that one!
Mike
I know I keep saying it but the process itself is fun, I feel like a 'proper' artist whilst I'm doing it.
Also, I've been visiting art galleries lately, the Tate Britain, V+A, National portrait Gallery and the National Gallery, and studying the work on display. I like the fact that with a lot of it, there is an illusion of detail but, on close inspection, you can easily see the artist in the brushwork etc. so all that is having a good influence on me.
My problem is that, when I'm finished one of these or any of the other looser stuff, I sometimes feel as though I've done the underpainting and then I start thinking, 'where's me little brush?' I actually have to force myself to stop painting. Then the problem becomes; Have I finished a sketch or is this a finished painting?
I'm still struggling with that one!
Mike
birdpotter
Well-known member
Isn't that the problem for any artist? When do you stop? When is it finished? When have you gone too far? How much detail is too much and is any 'detail' necessary? The answers to these questions and more, tonight on the live at 5 news...
Fortunately, Mike, you have us to tell you that what you are doing is fantastic.
I am in the same camp as Nick when it comes to the method, though, and I think it is really working for you. But of course I would love to have the patience and attention to detail that you have in your other paintings because those are all so brilliant too! Does that carry over in the rest of your life--that patience and attention?
Best
Beth
Fortunately, Mike, you have us to tell you that what you are doing is fantastic.
I am in the same camp as Nick when it comes to the method, though, and I think it is really working for you. But of course I would love to have the patience and attention to detail that you have in your other paintings because those are all so brilliant too! Does that carry over in the rest of your life--that patience and attention?
Best
Beth
timwootton
Well-known member
I think that just about sums it up!
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
I totally agree with above.
Woody
Well-known member
We were promised sunshine for the weekend but, true to form, saturday ans sunday both started with the familiar grey. I decided to make an early start on saturday and was on my way to Elmley by 5.15.
A couple of song thrushes had been victims of the road, one was squished badly but the other was intact other than the gaping wound in the left side. I can't resist a bit of study when the opportunity presents itself so the pathetic, nearly still warm corpse went into a bag for later drawing.
The farm buildings at the entrance to the estate are crowded with starlings now, every gutter, roofline and fence is fully loaded with chattering juveniles and their hard worked parents. A brace of red legged partridge scampered off the road at the entrance, soon vanishing into the high grass. The predominant sound of the first part of the reserve currently seems to be the joyful song of the skylarks which are thankfully plentiful there and their loud, confident singing proclaimed the summer despite the less than summery weather. Another welcome sound was the surreal drumming of the snipe which nest among the dykes and scrapes by the road. Their creaky wheelbarrow 'song' can easily be picked out too but the birds are less easily seen on the ground, although with luck and a bit of patience some great views can be achieved.
Sparrows, pied wags, blackbirds, starlings and swallows were all busy in the car park, a frenzy of feeding. A quick look at the boxes behind the loos revealed the barn owl peering briefly back at me but there was no sign of the little owls, although, with the leaves making things easy for them, they are probably there but hidden.
The walk out was accompanied by the usual collection of corn buntings, yellow wags, pipits and the distant hunting marsh harriers. A particularly vociferous reed bunting presented himself as a great model so it would have been rude not to make a couple of sketches.
On the scrape itself the avocets still held sway, although the numbers of adults seemed less, there were plenty of chicks playing in the mud. A creche of 17 or so shelducklings were watched over by two or three adults and the adult avocets weren't impressed! There was much chasing of the poor ducklings with the avocets determinedly trying to rid the water of the threatening little balls of fluff. A barnacle goose was present with a partner that seemed to be some kind of hybrid, it had a pretty much white head and darker grey feathers on the back than barnacle should have. Maybe some bar headed goose in the genes there.
I know that Tim is the master of the shelduck sketch so it's with a certain trepidation that I post my sketches. I was struggling with the shapes at first but I think I got into my stride after a while. Some avocets are still mating, some are still on eggs and some are herding tiny chicks around so I couldn't resist another nest sketch and a whole sheet of quick gesture sketches, trying to get the birds down with as few marks as possible.
On sunday, once back home with coffee in the conservatory, the sun came out and the day was bright and warm. My feeders were emptied by the hoards of sparrows with their little'uns while the starlings and woodpigeons cleared the grass below. My blackbird is still regular and he made me smile with a bit of a comedy run along the ridgetiles of the neighbours' house so I broke from the songthrush study for a couple of quick sketches.
This is turning into a bit of a blog these days so perhaps it's time I started a proper, seperate blog, I'll give it some thought. Anyway here are the sketches from the weekend.
Mike
A couple of song thrushes had been victims of the road, one was squished badly but the other was intact other than the gaping wound in the left side. I can't resist a bit of study when the opportunity presents itself so the pathetic, nearly still warm corpse went into a bag for later drawing.
The farm buildings at the entrance to the estate are crowded with starlings now, every gutter, roofline and fence is fully loaded with chattering juveniles and their hard worked parents. A brace of red legged partridge scampered off the road at the entrance, soon vanishing into the high grass. The predominant sound of the first part of the reserve currently seems to be the joyful song of the skylarks which are thankfully plentiful there and their loud, confident singing proclaimed the summer despite the less than summery weather. Another welcome sound was the surreal drumming of the snipe which nest among the dykes and scrapes by the road. Their creaky wheelbarrow 'song' can easily be picked out too but the birds are less easily seen on the ground, although with luck and a bit of patience some great views can be achieved.
Sparrows, pied wags, blackbirds, starlings and swallows were all busy in the car park, a frenzy of feeding. A quick look at the boxes behind the loos revealed the barn owl peering briefly back at me but there was no sign of the little owls, although, with the leaves making things easy for them, they are probably there but hidden.
The walk out was accompanied by the usual collection of corn buntings, yellow wags, pipits and the distant hunting marsh harriers. A particularly vociferous reed bunting presented himself as a great model so it would have been rude not to make a couple of sketches.
On the scrape itself the avocets still held sway, although the numbers of adults seemed less, there were plenty of chicks playing in the mud. A creche of 17 or so shelducklings were watched over by two or three adults and the adult avocets weren't impressed! There was much chasing of the poor ducklings with the avocets determinedly trying to rid the water of the threatening little balls of fluff. A barnacle goose was present with a partner that seemed to be some kind of hybrid, it had a pretty much white head and darker grey feathers on the back than barnacle should have. Maybe some bar headed goose in the genes there.
I know that Tim is the master of the shelduck sketch so it's with a certain trepidation that I post my sketches. I was struggling with the shapes at first but I think I got into my stride after a while. Some avocets are still mating, some are still on eggs and some are herding tiny chicks around so I couldn't resist another nest sketch and a whole sheet of quick gesture sketches, trying to get the birds down with as few marks as possible.
On sunday, once back home with coffee in the conservatory, the sun came out and the day was bright and warm. My feeders were emptied by the hoards of sparrows with their little'uns while the starlings and woodpigeons cleared the grass below. My blackbird is still regular and he made me smile with a bit of a comedy run along the ridgetiles of the neighbours' house so I broke from the songthrush study for a couple of quick sketches.
This is turning into a bit of a blog these days so perhaps it's time I started a proper, seperate blog, I'll give it some thought. Anyway here are the sketches from the weekend.
Mike
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timwootton
Well-known member
Yes - I picked up on the reed bunt drawings, too and I agree completely (the large, light sketch of him turning away at 3/4 view is beautiful!).There are some absolutely brilliant character poses among the avocet drawings - shelduck, blackbird etc are as they should be - lovely. The song thrush is a very nice piece of work -
sensitive investigation of the sad little bird. Invaluable study, though.
sensitive investigation of the sad little bird. Invaluable study, though.
Andrew Ellis
Well-known member
love the Reed buntings too, you've hit the nail smack on with those sketches ,
I liked the sleeping Avocet on nest. and as Nick pointed out lovin the Snipe sketches.
Get that Blog going Mike.
I liked the sleeping Avocet on nest. and as Nick pointed out lovin the Snipe sketches.
Get that Blog going Mike.
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
Some super sketches here Mike.
Woody
Well-known member
I was setting up for a 'daily' today but got sidetracked by all the threads here, I really must do some painting before I log on to BF!
So the next best thing is probably this painting from last year. I've posted it in the gallery but I thought I'd show it here too. It's done in a similar way to the 'daily' ones, although it's probably slightly 'tighter' and the colour is a bit more restrained.
Mike
So the next best thing is probably this painting from last year. I've posted it in the gallery but I thought I'd show it here too. It's done in a similar way to the 'daily' ones, although it's probably slightly 'tighter' and the colour is a bit more restrained.
Mike
Attachments
timwootton
Well-known member
Exquisite, Mike - wonderful light and really well-controlled tonal values in the bird. Top class.
