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JTMB's Bird Art (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter JTMB
- Start date
JTMB
Well-known member
Well, here's another WIP from my egrets-in-the-landscape oil piece. I'm approaching that 'probably should stop, but maybe just a little more over here...' point. The main area I'm going to work on a bit more before setting the piece aside and letting it rest before looking at it again is the small peninsula where the egrets are. The intensity of the greens needs to be reduced a bit and a bit more variegation in that mass is needed I think. I also will round the very tip of the peninsula a bit as it seems a bit too 'pointy' at present. Beyond that, possibly a few bits of color spread about between masses for color harmony and I think it will be about as good as I'm currently capable of making it.
Any other suggestions from fellow forum folks will be appreciated as well...!
Any other suggestions from fellow forum folks will be appreciated as well...!
JTMB
Well-known member
American Goldfinch
Thanks, Gaby!
Here is my latest watercolor - of an American Goldfinch, which is our state bird. Usually we have them year-round in our yard, but this winter they've been pretty scarce. Hopefully they'll be around in force once spring arrives.
This piece (12 x 9 inches) is based on a photo I took in spring a couple years ago.
Thanks, Gaby!
Here is my latest watercolor - of an American Goldfinch, which is our state bird. Usually we have them year-round in our yard, but this winter they've been pretty scarce. Hopefully they'll be around in force once spring arrives.
This piece (12 x 9 inches) is based on a photo I took in spring a couple years ago.
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solitaryVSong
Well-known member
Looks good John. I think you're right that it's about time to stop. Any changes can always go into a new painting. This one has a nice luminescence that is more than just the golden underpainting.
And a nice composition on the American Goldfinch. We used to have them year round at our feeders but rarely see them in winter anymore. Maybe the winters have just gotten too cold, though more likely the development of our neighborhood is just driving the birds away.........
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
Some lovely work John
timwootton
Well-known member
Spot on - lovely piece.
JTMB
Well-known member
Thanks Gaby, Ken, Arthur, Mike, Tim and Alan!
This morning a (probably 'the') Merlin that periodically shows up on a snag tree a hundred yards or so from our yard showed up while I was working on my morning cereal. I grabbed the scope, sketchpad and graphite and started to sketch. Naturally I had about a minute until the bird flew. So the first effort fell short in a number of areas - body's too thin, bill not correctly drawn, didn't put much other detail on. (I opted not to attempt to finish from memory, or use photo references to fill it out, since I really want to get proficient at drawing from life.) About fifteen minutes later, it showed up again and I did another sketch before it flew away for good the second time. The body is better on the second sketch, as is the head, and I had a bit more time to put in a few more details.
I am still awaiting Tim's book, which hopefully will eventually make it across the pond and out here to the far corner of the US. I expect that one reading of Tim's masterpiece will solve all the issues I have with drawing from life...!
This morning a (probably 'the') Merlin that periodically shows up on a snag tree a hundred yards or so from our yard showed up while I was working on my morning cereal. I grabbed the scope, sketchpad and graphite and started to sketch. Naturally I had about a minute until the bird flew. So the first effort fell short in a number of areas - body's too thin, bill not correctly drawn, didn't put much other detail on. (I opted not to attempt to finish from memory, or use photo references to fill it out, since I really want to get proficient at drawing from life.) About fifteen minutes later, it showed up again and I did another sketch before it flew away for good the second time. The body is better on the second sketch, as is the head, and I had a bit more time to put in a few more details.
I am still awaiting Tim's book, which hopefully will eventually make it across the pond and out here to the far corner of the US. I expect that one reading of Tim's masterpiece will solve all the issues I have with drawing from life...!
timwootton
Well-known member
Nice drawing, John. Incidentally the book was sent two weeks ago - I'd have thought it should have landed by now. Please let me know when it does?
JTMB
Well-known member
Thanks, Tim. Yes, I know the book is in transit, but it takes a long time when sent from there unless there is an option for expedited shipment. When I ordered the book via the paypal button, there weren't any expedited choices, so it's probably coming regular post. I have ordered a couple used books from sellers in the UK and it can take a month to get here. Regular US mail can take a week to get from the east coast to us out here in the NW corner of the country, so that's another part of the lead time.
If it doesn't show up within a month from the transaction date on paypal, I'll let you know.
I can guarantee one thing - when it arrives everything else will go on the backburner until I've devoured the whole tome!
If it doesn't show up within a month from the transaction date on paypal, I'll let you know.
I can guarantee one thing - when it arrives everything else will go on the backburner until I've devoured the whole tome!
solitaryVSong
Well-known member
You continue to improve with your field sketches John. I was thinking of the difficulty of field sketching yesterday as I did some studies of dunlin from photos I'd taken. They seemed so easy to draw. And then I remembered the horribly, clumsy stuff that I came up with when I tried to draw them from life last spring. Even though hundreds if not thousands of them sat there, not moving, right in front of me my field sketches didn't look a thing like them. It's a long but eventually rewarding road learning how to draw from life.
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
nice sketches john
JTMB
Well-known member
Thanks Ken and Arthur!
Well, the cooperative Merlin (at least I assume it's the same one -or the mate of the previous subject) showed up again yesterday off and on over a pretty long period of time. Out came the scope and the sketching materials. This time the bird stayed on the snag long enough between hunting sorties (none of which appeared to be successful - hope the bird is making a living ok) that I had a bit more time with the subject. So these sketches are a bit more complete than the last one. Still lots of areas for improvement, but also some things to like about them.
Well, the cooperative Merlin (at least I assume it's the same one -or the mate of the previous subject) showed up again yesterday off and on over a pretty long period of time. Out came the scope and the sketching materials. This time the bird stayed on the snag long enough between hunting sorties (none of which appeared to be successful - hope the bird is making a living ok) that I had a bit more time with the subject. So these sketches are a bit more complete than the last one. Still lots of areas for improvement, but also some things to like about them.
mattybohan
Well-known member
I missed the goldfinch. That is a beauty.
timwootton
Well-known member
Much to like about them, indeed - paricularly the balance of the perched birds. This is a very tricky aspect to field drawng and you've got these birds sitting pretty, no mstake. Some lovely lines here, too - a successful bunch.
solitaryVSong
Well-known member
Good work on the Merlin. I think the first sheet in particular has a sense of something drawn from life, particularly in the poses.
