phil baber
Clipped Wing
Stunning Stonechat Len!
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Tackling birds in coloured pencil (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Liquid Len
- Start date
Bees in Art
Active member
I'm impressed by the technique. I'm also glad to see your success as I was about to attempt to use pencils myself tomorrow morning when I check my moth trap. I was interested to try a colour medium that didn't need water. But of course it can be brushed with water too if necessary. I've sometimes resorted to a bit of spit and a finger tip as a brush with pen and ink. But that would probably be too crude for your work.
Andrew
Andrew
Liquid Len
Well-known member
SC illustration ...
... is now complete and appears vingetted how it should look on the spine of the book; hope it 'works'? Have now started on a male Sparrowhawk intended for the book cover. I must try to post more regularly and show more stages of WIP! I now seem to be ovecoming my recent artwork inertia, but I'm finding it difficult not to work the life out of my illustrations. My style is pretty detailed anyway but, especially when I haven't worked for a while, I tend to overwork things sometimes and lose the vitality of the subject - any tips anyone?.
Thanks for the feedback to those who bothered, by the way.
LL
... is now complete and appears vingetted how it should look on the spine of the book; hope it 'works'? Have now started on a male Sparrowhawk intended for the book cover. I must try to post more regularly and show more stages of WIP! I now seem to be ovecoming my recent artwork inertia, but I'm finding it difficult not to work the life out of my illustrations. My style is pretty detailed anyway but, especially when I haven't worked for a while, I tend to overwork things sometimes and lose the vitality of the subject - any tips anyone?.
Thanks for the feedback to those who bothered, by the way.
LL
Attachments
Amazing stuff, I'm going to keep an eye on this thread. I've always wanted to start teaching myself to draw birds, so I bought 34 watercolour pencils today. It was really cheap so I can't expect any great results(I can't anyway even with expensive ones knowing my art skills!) but it was as much as my pocket money stretches!
Once again amazing drawings.
Once again amazing drawings.
Liquid Len
Well-known member
Thanks Mari ...
... I'll do my best to offer you encouragement! The first thing is not to give in; it can be a frustrating medium to use but stick with it and you'll be rewarded. Secondly, none of my coloured pencil work is done with watercolour pencils as I don't favour them and, thirdly, always buy the best materials that you can afford, which applies with most things really. In this way you'll give yourself a better chance of success. Which pencils did you decide to go for? Watercolour pencils can be used 'dry' as well but you have to ensure that you don't get them even remotely damp, or they will be prone to smudging. The best thing to do is to buy a few individual pencils of different brands and play around with them. Alternatively, approach manufacturers for samples which they will often send out free of charge - it's worth a try. Some brands and ranges within brands are quite soft and waxy while others are hard and experimenting to find out which pencils work best for you and with eachother is useful. I'll continue to post my progress with the Sparrowhawk illustration and I'm willing to answer any questions you may have if I'm able.
LL
... I'll do my best to offer you encouragement! The first thing is not to give in; it can be a frustrating medium to use but stick with it and you'll be rewarded. Secondly, none of my coloured pencil work is done with watercolour pencils as I don't favour them and, thirdly, always buy the best materials that you can afford, which applies with most things really. In this way you'll give yourself a better chance of success. Which pencils did you decide to go for? Watercolour pencils can be used 'dry' as well but you have to ensure that you don't get them even remotely damp, or they will be prone to smudging. The best thing to do is to buy a few individual pencils of different brands and play around with them. Alternatively, approach manufacturers for samples which they will often send out free of charge - it's worth a try. Some brands and ranges within brands are quite soft and waxy while others are hard and experimenting to find out which pencils work best for you and with eachother is useful. I'll continue to post my progress with the Sparrowhawk illustration and I'm willing to answer any questions you may have if I'm able.
LL
Liquid Len
Well-known member
The SH illustration is starting to shape up, though its difficult to get a good run at it. Excuse the poor colours - this is a low res digital photo rather than a scan. I intend to put it in an urban setting to reflect increased records in this habitat so, we'll see how it goes.
As ever, thanks for your patience.
LL
As ever, thanks for your patience.
LL
Attachments
phil baber
Clipped Wing
Nice clean Sprawk. Beautiful work LL.
Liquid Len
Well-known member
Thanks Phil. Possibly a bit too 'clean' perhaps? I'm progressing, if that's the right word, but not sure if its 'working' for me 100% at the moment. Decided to do background on front face of film rather than rear ... It'd better work now that I've invested so much time and effort in it!!:eek!::C
On the home straight but I'm welcome to suggestions as to where this needs further work, if any, apart from the obvious bits.
Thanks,
LL
Attachments
timwootton
Well-known member
Really lovely feel to this illustration Len - looking good.
Strandman
Well-known member
that's astonishing: had no inkling of where it was heading backgroundwise
it may be that its on your to do list, but I'm thinking the wing coverts and mantle look very smooth and even-toned
where even on a male sparrowhawk the blueish feathers have a slightly more two-toned, patchy look
phil baber
Clipped Wing
I love the way the background puts the Sprawk into its new role as "Urban Bird-Table Manager." Very nicely done. And that splash of guano on the fence lends it an air of authenticity. Superb.
mattybohan
Well-known member
excellent!
Nature__lover
Well-known member
Your bird drawings are absolutely amazing. I have never seen such great coloured pencil work! I find not many people use them anymore. I haven't in a while in fact, but now you've inspired me, I might give it a go tomorrow 
