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Jomo's Sketchbook (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jomo
- Start date
Strandman
Well-known member
Don't let me divert you for work in hand!
I do envy you your dark morph Roughlegs- I've got part way organised a couple of times to come out to Amherst Ont with them in mind, but things have always cropped up...
jomo
Well-known member
Made a start on the Snowy. I pondered ways to tackle this in my usual medium, couldn't see anything other than a whole lot of frustration ahead of me, so I did something I haven't done in years -- pulled out the acrylics. Thankfully none of my paints had dried up, but it took awhile to find some bristle brushes that weren't gummed up with podge or lacquer. I'd forgotten much of what I love (and hate!) about the medium, but I'm having good fun for now.
In the spirit of loosening up and trying something different that's been going on around here, I didn't bother with any preparation or sketching out -- just started smearing paint around. I haven't the foggiest where I'm going, or whether I'll end up tossing it out the window!
In the spirit of loosening up and trying something different that's been going on around here, I didn't bother with any preparation or sketching out -- just started smearing paint around. I haven't the foggiest where I'm going, or whether I'll end up tossing it out the window!
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timwootton
Well-known member
This one doesn't look window-bound to me. Very brave to make such a huge painting, although I suppose the scale of the bird in real life probably commands such an area. Looking forward to the progression very much.
jomo
Well-known member
Thought it best to give her some surroundings before continuing with the bird, so spent the evening putting her under the elements. She's slimmed up some under the attack of grey paint, but I'll get her fattened up again tomorrow. We're scheduled to get another foot of snow between now and tomorrow evening, good weather for painting Snowies!
Chris, I don't envy you right now ... -50 with the windchill in some places out west I hear this past week, BRRR! Hope you're keeping warm!
Chris, I don't envy you right now ... -50 with the windchill in some places out west I hear this past week, BRRR! Hope you're keeping warm!
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ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
Like all looking forward to its progress
cjoakley
Well-known member
Well - really! Who in their right mind would envy anyone that lives where it gets this cold - who in their right mind would live here?? Oh right - me!!
More normal people stay inside - we on the other hand had a shopping day a couple of hours away yesterday - but then it was a balmy -22...lol
Yup - it has been down that low here too but thankfully rarely lasts more than a few days - it's on it's way back up to a more normal -12 to -15 which in our very dry neck of the woodless realm is not really all that bad
No worries - great birding here - you can see for miles - almost every tree or shrub has a nest - every puddle of water simply teems with life - there are raptors galore and this area is on a major flyway so everything under the sun shows up here at one time or another ...oh and my daughter and grandkids live here!!
Love the way you've added in the elements Jomo - this is going to be a fantastic snowy!
jomo
Well-known member
Oh, the horror!
No sex changes for Snowy, Woody, though if I'd gone with a good strong light source I may have been tempted to take the artistic license.
Due to yesterday's inclement weather, my employers decided to close up shop for the day (for the safety of all us commuters). And here I thought I was too old for snow days! So I shut myself in (after a good wave from my balcony to those poor souls inching by on the roadway), laid out the paints, and got to work with a good dose of early optimism. I fattened out the bird, laid down a basecoat in preparation for all that white, and them promptly watched it all go downhill from there. I spent a lot of time fussing with the wing, trying to get the position of the primaries and the looseness of the terts to looks right. Next was the head, which I painted, repainted, and repainted again several times throughout the afternoon. By last night she looked like an irate stuffed cat, and I really wanted nothing more than to snap the board over my knee.
I took another whack at it this morning, and I think I'm much more pleased with it now. She's a lot more alert (no more slitty cat's eyes), and I spent some time determining how the planes of the face should sit. It's not as loose as I'd originally intended, but at least now I feel I have somewhere to go.
No sex changes for Snowy, Woody, though if I'd gone with a good strong light source I may have been tempted to take the artistic license.
Due to yesterday's inclement weather, my employers decided to close up shop for the day (for the safety of all us commuters). And here I thought I was too old for snow days! So I shut myself in (after a good wave from my balcony to those poor souls inching by on the roadway), laid out the paints, and got to work with a good dose of early optimism. I fattened out the bird, laid down a basecoat in preparation for all that white, and them promptly watched it all go downhill from there. I spent a lot of time fussing with the wing, trying to get the position of the primaries and the looseness of the terts to looks right. Next was the head, which I painted, repainted, and repainted again several times throughout the afternoon. By last night she looked like an irate stuffed cat, and I really wanted nothing more than to snap the board over my knee.
I took another whack at it this morning, and I think I'm much more pleased with it now. She's a lot more alert (no more slitty cat's eyes), and I spent some time determining how the planes of the face should sit. It's not as loose as I'd originally intended, but at least now I feel I have somewhere to go.
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jomo
Well-known member
With spring just around the corner (even if the days are still too damn cold!), I felt it best to finish this one up before the warm weather hits and I completely lose interest in all things wintery. So this past weekend I newspapered up the coffee table, queued up a marathon of House episodes and forced myself to sit and work at it until she was done. We've been battling a lot these past few weeks, her and I, and I think we'll both be glad to get away from one another.
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timwootton
Well-known member
Oh, well done! She's stunning - wonderful atmosphere and just the amount of detail needed to describe the form. So glad you continued and, I bet when the dust has settled, so will you be. Love it!
