Ed's thread (6 Viewers)

Strandman · Nov 20, 2008

Hello all. Away for few days and I see the forum has rampaged onwards. Well done everyone! I managed to wangle a couple of hours on an old landfill site on the Hudson River where Cedar Waxwings were streaming through and stopping for a breather in maples before hurrying on south. Leaves brighter than the birds.

nickderry · Nov 20, 2008

a very brave piece to be so abstract - and it works so damned well - what an exciting piece!

timwootton · Nov 20, 2008

Does this lad's talent and enterprise know no bounds???? Superb piece which sits very nicely alongside your redstart an the peerless garganey pics.
Er - are you ever in THIS country?

Woody · Nov 21, 2008

Terrific! Stylised almost to the point of abstraction but stopping just the right side to retain the feeling of realism that I personally believe necessary. Full of energy, character and colour.

Mike

ste · Nov 21, 2008

A very colourful and vibrant picture , So simple but very effective.
Excellent
Steve

Andrew H · Nov 22, 2008

very colourful, and as mike says - near abstract, but not quite

buzzard12 · Nov 25, 2008

Hi Ed, and Wow! Waxwings really are a graphic sucess, great image! Really works for me and should be slapped straight into a frame in my opinion...

The Grey Wag drawing is tremendous too, a significant understatment of talent, the whole thing is just brilliantly done, the yellow tones are so well executed, you have nailed the species to a tee with that....

Strandman · Nov 27, 2008

buzzard12 said:
Hi Ed, and Wow! Waxwings really are a graphic sucess, great image! Really works for me and should be slapped straight into a frame in my opinion...

The Grey Wag drawing is tremendous too, a significant understatment of talent, the whole thing is just brilliantly done, the yellow tones are so well executed, you have nailed the species to a tee with that....

Hello all- and thank-you for kind words. Have finally had a little time to transfer the Grey Wagtail onto the leaves- hasn't turned out quite as expected being brighter and more obvious than I had in mind. So I may be brave and plap some more shadow onto chest and flanks, but then again maybe its handcuffs time...

Next up may be another shot at a Hooded Merg - I sketched one last week from a gorgeous little gang that were catching fish in weeds then furiously shaking their heads to try and get rid of the weedy garnish before swallowing-so here's my on the spot sketch and then a marker pen version done from it to work it out a little more. It seems to have lost some perkiness and activity in translation so next step is to draw it on canvas and see if I can reinvigorate it before attcking with bristlies.

jomo · Nov 28, 2008

Don't touch it, it's perfect! Wow, and wow -- love that blue sky reflecting up, the half-submerged leaves, and there's so much to entertain the eye that you don't even notice that little surprise of a wag until you make it up to the top corner. This is my new favourite Keeble! Have I said that before? Ah well, it is!

Woody · Nov 28, 2008

jomo said:
Don't touch it, it's perfect! Wow, and wow -- love that blue sky reflecting up, the half-submerged leaves, and there's so much to entertain the eye that you don't even notice that little surprise of a wag until you make it up to the top corner. This is my new favourite Keeble! Have I said that before? Ah well, it is!

I couldn't agree more. It's a triumph, the colours work so well and there's so much depth there it needs not a thing more or less.

Mike

timwootton · Nov 28, 2008

And I was just thinking 'where's that waggy painting' - and here it is. Totally and utterly gorgeous and definitely a case for the handcuffs. The hoodie looks to be heading exactly the right way too.

nickderry · Nov 28, 2008

definitely handcuffs time, this one was well worth the wait, it's bloody marvellous, it takes ages to find the bird, then when you see it, it's obvious - just like the grey wags on the river next to my classroom. The hoodie is sublime, I love how at first glance it's just an abstraction of the darks and lights on the bird and the water, then slowly transforms to reveal a perfectly rendered bird.

desgreene · Nov 28, 2008

Another vote for handcuffs! Your best ever (to my eyes at least). Truly beautiful.

ARTHUR BISHOP · Nov 28, 2008

That waggy's got something special going for it . a prime case for some prints there Ed.

Strandman · Dec 3, 2008

Things not coming quite so easily since the Grey Wag. Perked up the Hooded Merg drawing a bit and then I have had run at the water but... well its the same old problem...do you try and place the ripples and contrasts where they belong as a master like Peter Mathios or Chris Rose might do, or do you just sort of dab them on in bludges...I've gone for the latter and since I'm taking a break from it, might as well stick it up so I can scowl at it whilst at work tomorrow..

timwootton · Dec 3, 2008

Scowl-away, young man - but you'll get no answers till the bird's siting there. However, for what it's worth, I love the prelim setch but th painting is a step further down the path, for sure. A squeak of Bruce P.? and all the better for it. This could well be one of your best.

nickderry · Dec 3, 2008

tones and colours are a triumph, I'm hoping you'll do the merganser in the same way as the prelim sketch - where it's completely broken up by the abstract shapes of the water surrounding it (or even 'containing' it, seeing as I've had enough beer to talk 'art' as though it were a language). What I love about the prelim sketch is that the water and the bird share the same patterns and tones and they are extensions of each other (this after only 3 pints!). Then saying that, if you're planning to go down a different route, why not, the prelim sketch to my eyes is already an accomplished and fine piece of art.

Woody · Dec 3, 2008

Can't say it better than Tim and Nick (I've had nothing but coffee tonight). Stick with the bludgery, it's all energy and movement that I reckon you could kill with too much fiddling. That prelim would make a perfect lino/wood cut print....

Mike

EliS · Dec 4, 2008

Wow waxwings, brilliant waggie (seriously, I couldn't agree more with what other's have been saying, that painting is such a joy to look at), what a wonderful fun hoodie merganser!

Elina

Strandman · Dec 4, 2008

What nice peops you all are. The reason for the scowls is that despite resolving not to when I started out, I've lost the distinct zones of dark and light water and ended up with more of a blended sort of thing. I shall whap in the birdie and see if that ups the overall geometric content...

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