Welcome to Nick's dining room table. (3 Viewers)

[birdpotter]

Wow Nick. You had a great trip!

Wow.

 

[timwootton]

WOW! is a word used so often on this thread - and for the very simple reason that no-other would really do. WOW is what I say (often out loud) at each of these recent drawings - it's obvious you have inner peace and this allows your creativity to be channelled to such exhillarating effect. The craggies and swallowtail show such deft use of expressive linework and just the right amount of colour; the spotted fly. bee-eater studies and landscapes contribute to a wonderful documentary of the area, seen through a true artist's eyes. The maggies and crow have rightly been identified for individual praise and a similer control of colour and light is shown in the worked up bee-eater painting - such a sense of depth to this seemingly simple portrayal. Absolutely gorgeous!

 

[nickderry]

so much to be getting on with - so little time, back at work tomorrow and I'll want to get some birding done while it's high season for migration, oh well, maybe the lack of time will make me fiddle less - here's some rushed crag martins.

 

[birdpotter]

WOW! is a word used so often on this thread - and for the very simple reason that no-other would really do. WOW is what I say (often out loud) at each of these recent drawings - it's obvious you have inner peace and this allows your creativity to be channelled to such exhillarating effect. The craggies and swallowtail show such deft use of expressive linework and just the right amount of colour; the spotted fly. bee-eater studies and landscapes contribute to a wonderful documentary of the area, seen through a true artist's eyes. The maggies and crow have rightly been identified for individual praise and a similer control of colour and light is shown in the worked up bee-eater painting - such a sense of depth to this seemingly simple portrayal. Absolutely gorgeous!

And there you have it.

 

[nickderry]

another one done for the exhibition, the eye is reflecting the pencil crayon in the photo, the bird doesn't look quite so stoned on the paper!

Will attack the huge canvases tomorrow - I feel like goosanders in winter finery!

 

[birdpotter]

What a great piece! I love the movement of the tree. It takes you everywhere while keeping you focused on the bird.

 

[EliS]

Oooooooooooh!!!! Beauuutiful!

Elina

 

[nickderry]

Thanks Beth and Eli, hope I haven't spoiled it by fiddling, but I felt there were parts of the background that looked ignored and neglected, so I just darkened them to harmonize more with the background, all at 3am before going to bed - let me know if I need my wrists slapped o

 

[EliS]

I think the changes are good, though I cannot put my finger on what's been changed. But the picture is now even more intense. I just love this painting, it's FABULOUS! The detail on the pere - my jaw dropped when I opened the thumbnail to a big picture.

Elina

 

[desgreene]

Up there with your best I reckon Nick. Stunning!

 

[Andrew H]

WOW - Hasnt this been said before ?

 

[birdpotter]

It looks finished now. Not that it didn't before, but I see what you did and why you did it. Like Elina said, it looks more intense just with that minimum of change. Nice.

 

[Woody]

Absolute corker! I love peregrines and this one's full of character. It's really something to see one in a tree too, round here they're either on the ground or on the air!

Mike

 

[timwootton]

Well done Nick, another cracker. Just that little beautifully observed detail of the flank feathers lifted by the late summer breeze adds so much to the perception of the painting. Love it.

 

[nickderry]

Got out for a few hours this afternoon to the gravel pits - not a huge amount about, nice to see 2 wood sandpipers and a juv whinchat, also this kestrel that came down to have a bathe, until disturbed by some w*****s with a dinghy.

 

[timwootton]

. . . also this kestrel that came down to have a bathe, until disturbed by some w*****s with a dinghy.

Tsk tsk. Such language! They were only playing.
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=157716&d=1220213820
But prior to the unintentional avian dispersal, you managed a few smashing drawings of a very nice collection of stuff. Carrying on at home as you left off on hols.

 

[Strandman]

Got out for a few hours this afternoon to the gravel pits - not a huge amount about, nice to see 2 wood sandpipers and a juv whinchat, also this kestrel that came down to have a bathe, until disturbed by some w*****s with a dinghy.

Pic #1 has a real late summer feel to it- you can sense the moulted duck feathers on the mud. Looks like the black paint may have been given an outing too.

 

[EliS]

Ooooh! (Once more.) Out of these, my fave must be that last whinchat... I do have a soft spot for that species and that's such a charming sketch. I'll second what Ed said about the first one.

Elina

 

[desgreene]

I agree with Elina, lovely stuff, but that second Whinchat is superb.

 

[peter mathios]

Fantastic series!!!