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Montana Bird Art (1 Viewer)

Really lovely nuthatches Sid, and the painting does look looser, or maybe just more use of transparent watercolor? I'm not sure what the change is but I really like it. Also very well composed.

Ravens look like they're off to a good start but I really don't have any suggestions. I'm sure others will have suggestions though.

Good to see you back!
 
Sid.....i think the ravens are a wonderful composition...and i like the head attitudes of the birds.....great stuff...! I look forward to seeing the painting develop....:t:

ps...oh...welcome back...:t:
 
Thanks Ken, User, Nick, Coleen and Arthur for the nice comments. Hope the raven picture doesn't get away from me at the last minute. So far, it's all watercolor with no acrylic "bandages". I'm discovering that painting all black birds is tricky, trying to get (leave or lift out) a "shine" on the right parts of their bodies, so they don't look flat.

I'll have at it again soon.

Sid
 
Very fine work Sid - massive fan of the watercolour approach to the nuthatches - it's a really lovely piece. Ravesn are getting there - definitely.
 
Thanks, Tim. Seeing the beautiful work posted by you, Nick, and others on this forum, certainly lend a lot of encouragement! Final ravens will be posted soon.
 
Love the nuthatches Sid, it has a really restful feel somehow.

The ravens look like another winner too, really nice to have that sense of things happening, and this is going to have that in spades.

Mike
 
Thanks, Mike. As someone on the forum said back awhile, as soon as you post "work in progress", everything suddenly goes haywire and you toss it in the trash. I don't think this one will have that fate, though.
 
sfrissell said:
Thanks, Mike. As someone on the forum said back awhile, as soon as you post "work in progress", everything suddenly goes haywire and you toss it in the trash. I don't think this one will have that fate, though.
Click to expand...

That was me I believe! Good luck with it and I hope you're not jinxed by the WIP gremlins!

Mike
 
Sid,

The Nuthatch group is fantastic! Beautiful work!

Not commenting on WIP. I did one and got away with it. The second I posted in 5 versions, in one post, when I was happy with an "almost finished..."

I'm sure it will be astonishing though!
 
Well, finally, here is the "finished" Common Raven painting which I named "Chat Room"
It is finished, in the sense the I don't want to look at it anymore. Unless, of course, one of you comes up with a great suggestion for improving it. It's about 14" x 20" watercolor (with a tiny bit of white gouache) on Arches 140/Cold Press.
Have at it!

Sid
 

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It's a great piece Sid - those tufts contribute so much to the character. Lovely balanced comp - the bird face-on is pure class.
 
timwootton said:
It's a great piece Sid - those tufts contribute so much to the character. Lovely balanced comp - the bird face-on is pure class.
Click to expand...

And a beautiful job with the background as well. I know that's not what is most important but it does read as very real, the way a background just fades out particularly in snow. So it adds a subtle something to the painting.
 
Thanks for the comments Tim and Ken. As always, there things about the painting I not happy with, but I'll just have to do better next time. Ken--I really liked the way the background looks too. I'm less happy with my attempts to paint all-black birds. Getting highlights and shadows on black is tricky. But, at least I did finish a painting.

Sid
 
sfrissell said:
Thanks for the comments Tim and Ken. As always, there things about the painting I not happy with, but I'll just have to do better next time. Ken--I really liked the way the background looks too. I'm less happy with my attempts to paint all-black birds. Getting highlights and shadows on black is tricky. But, at least I did finish a painting.

Sid
Click to expand...


Important thing is that you finished it! And it looks good.

I was very impressed with the way Debbie Kaspari handled the blacks in a watercolor she did of some blackbirds last January. You may find it useful for your next work in black: http://drawingthemotmot.wordpress.com/2010/01/31/how-you-too-can-take-unfair-advantage-of-cold-hungry-birds/. I've never tried an all-black bird but I can well imagine the problems.
 
I can feel the cold in this (not that I need to - we lit the fire again today - in June!) Superb spaces bridged by a glance between two birds, create an electric tension.
 
Ken- thanks for the reference. Debbie paints a lot of things well. Hope she continues to after losing her house, studio, garage, barn and surrounding old-growth oak trees to a recent tornado! Tough to get through.

Nick - thanks for your remarks. I was surprised at how "cold" the painting seemed, but quite happy with it.
 
'Had' to comment on your corvids Sid...!

What impress's me is the way you have caught the intelligence behind those expressive raven eyes...quite excellent methinks...:t:
 
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