OK ... deep breath! These are my efforts (13 Viewers)

[Andrew Ellis]

Lovin the Blackey Deb. - First Time!! you wouldn't know it.
The Woodie is wonderful as well. Its got so much life! Love
watching birds bathing , you really get the feeling they're
havin a blast.

 

[Mouldy]

Blackbird pic is beautifully observed, beautifully composed and beautifully coloured, in a word, a beaut!

 

[ste]

The blackbird is great. I like the light in this one. The woody is a winner also. It just about fits in your bird bath. Captured the movement nicely.
Steve

 

[nickderry]

you're going to have to teach me how to get those colours, they're so full of light. Excellent piece!

 

[dryslwyn]

Great work Deb. Love keeping up with your thread your work is so colourful and imaginative - won't post as regularly but always look and enjoy your work.

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

Deb's the Blackbird is the best yet. Love it

 

[deborah4]

you're going to have to teach me how to get those colours, they're so full of light. Excellent piece!

Cheap box of Reeves Nick - £12.99 for 18 large tubes of water colour! Tend not to rinse the palette much now and find all sorts of stray muted greys/browns/greens etc on the edges - my ''clean up'' colours (rather than washing them down the sink!). They are cheap paints and can only take so much mixing, too little and they are garish in the extreme. I think the light comes when I don't have the patience to fill in 'gaps' or complete an area. (low boredom threshold!)

Know you were kidding anyway - you're Master of water colour and I'm learning from you!!! Stylewise, the Woodie is more my kind of style/taste tbh and I want to keep heading in that very loose direction with bold colours, but I am learning a lot by looking at your work (even though it might not show yet!) re: how not to overwork colours, overall compositions and structure of birds.

Joanne: Spot on observation - that's why I don't mind too much now posting the overworked stuff, but believe me, there's much more muddy sludge attempts behind some of the better watercolours on this thread that I couldn't possibly share!

Steve, Andy, the thirsty family of Greenfinch were NOT impressed - thanks for the comments

Cheers Mouldy - I'm now thinking because of what you said, will have one more go at GI but maybe I should give this one to my Dad - it goes with their colour decor and that's a big big criteria for 'art' for my parents if it's going to be put on the wall!

Not sure about the colour of the Mount tho' - should it be white? Was always told to pick a colour from the painting but sometimes that just throws everything off balance - so if anyone's got any suggestions it would be welcome.

(missing you already Wendy )

 

[Peewit]

Love this last crow, sometimes it's great not to worry about the plumage details and other such stuff, what you've achieved here is the character of the crow completely unrestrained by the image we have in our heads of how to identify one (if that makes sense). You're being very creative indeed at the moment.

Hi deborah

It is about time I popped in this thread for another visit. I have got a bit left behind here, and I need a tour of your super work once more.

Hey, the last paintings that I missed out on are super to look at. Had a lot of catching up to do as I think your thread is the busiest one on the site at the moment.

I love the Greenies, and the Crow. As a matter of fact I love all that you do here. It is a style that you represent all of your own, and I like it a lot.

There is nothing wrong with good old Reeves paints (as I hide the blushes here) They are as good as anything else. I tend to work of 6 colours only myself.

Your confidence is just pouring out of you here, and getting better every day.

Note: I hope the trapped nerve, and the eyes are alright now

 

[deborah4]

Deb's the Blackbird is the best yet. Love it

Ok that Does it - Dad's getting the Blackbird - GI can wait until Christmas - cheers Arthur

Peewit: Thanks for your comments and concern - shoulder and neck still very painful, so phoned in sick today and Boss has given me W/E off - hopefully it will be better before I leave for Poland on Weds - haven't done any packing, washing or anything else yet, been laid up mostly and doped up with strong painkillers (which I rarely take for anything - am dreading lugging my rucksack, sketchpads, binos, etc etc up those hills and sleeping on c*appy hostel bunks! :gh: :-O (It's snowing there too apparently this week, not that that has anything to do with the price of fish!)

 

[nickderry]

LOL, you've got the same paints as me! The garish cheap reeves stuff. I still don't manage to get such vibrant colours as you do though, maybe I don't dare, though I wish I did! (And from the description of how you work, it could almost be me you're describing!)

 

[deborah4]

(And from the description of how you work, it could almost be me you're describing!)

That'll be at 4 am in the morning then or when I'm supposed to be at my day job :-O

 

[Woody]

Deb, that blackbird's a definate winner. I can see Nick's influence starting to show too.
Hope the back gets better and here's hoping for some great birds and the best of views in Poland!

Woody

 

[nickderry]

very nice!

 

[deborah4]

nothing much to offer but just to climb back on the horse, some practice sketches done this evening from some old fieldnotes - trying to get the hang of these blasted water colours for loose paintings - cracked the shingle/pebble thing I think but sky and water not happening yet (ignore the birds, very rough outlines and the naff fieldnote -and the GI at the end !)

Now if someone can tell me how to defrost a freezer without resulting in sopping wet towels across the kitchen floor and icebergs in the kitchen sink, I'd be eternally grateful - what a day!

 

[nickderry]

beautiful tones and colours, I think you've cracked the water very well. As for defrosting freezers, I ruined the downstairs neighbour's carpet the last time I tried, so I'm not the one to ask for advice there!

 

[matt green]

...trying to get the hang of these blasted water colours for loose paintings - cracked the shingle/pebble thing I think but sky and water not happening yet (ignore the birds, very rough outlines and the naff fieldnote -and the GI at the end !)

Pretty impressed with these Deborah

Especialy like the group of Blackheads, and Blackheads with Sandwich Turns. As I see it you are pushing yourself with ever more challenging subject matter :ie groups of birds rather than just the one or two etc yet remaining in your prefered medium and style ..and it pays off with every new work.

The Ibis is a welcome addition too!

Matt

 

[timwootton]

Yes - lovely additions to the ever improving portfolio. Good stuff, very good.

 

[dryslwyn]

I agree with everyone. Really enjoying your thread.

 

[deborah4]

Thanks for the comments people - not particularly outstanding/stunning sketches, just rather quick explorations so to speak to try and dig myself out of the muddy quagmire that my w/c seem to have led me, but glad you like them. Off to Poland Wednesday, pencils/pads packed so no more for now.

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

Have a good time Deborah this last group are lovely.