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Ed's thread (6 Viewers)

excellent balance of detail and character here, this is the sort of picture I'd have been proud to do. Can't wait to see the finished result.
 
I love it- a strong painting keeping the 'cuteness' if you don't mind me saying so.

Thanks all- I don't normally do small or cute, but it's rather of the essence when it comes to Little Auks...

Currently running into the problem with bird #2 I used to have when painting duck carvings- I get one whapped out in OK style and then can't quite get the second half of the pair to match- probably because instead of painting it freely, I'm trying to copy the first.

Onward
 
Possibly worth covering the other one up with a piece of paper - do your thing with #2 and then make final adjustments when you uncover the other. You'll be forced to address the 2nd bird as an individual then. Please - don't give up on it - this one, you must finish.
 
Hello all. Great to see some new names posting on the forum.

Another week without painting for me, but home alone tonight (youngest is here, but outside camping in the garden with a friend on the coldest night of the winter so far, so social services might be round) and so have managed some more on the L Auks. The original is warmer and brighter, but too big to fit on the scanner...

Still on the learning curve with this sort of thing - very hard to resist temptation to fiddle about with a little brush where I should be doing a single dynamic sweep (for example where the flank feathers overleap wings/back/tail) but I'm working on it..

Currently circling around the next target for the attack of the bristlies..
 

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Ed - I love this painting!

I think you've shown admirable restraint re: adding too much detail - and I can see how easily you'd be tempted - I'd have had to drag myself away kicking and screaming...

But the result is so worth it! You've captured the movement of the water incredibly well...and the little auks are perfect.

And all this with bristly brushes. Wow!
 
It is quite beautiful. Puts you firmly in the 'artist' camp, this does Ed! Such an enchanting painting with everything - colour, mood, action and beautiful birds. Topper!
 
Good to see this one finished Ed, it's a fantastic composition/design and you've rendered it beautifully without overpainting the detail which is so tempting. Long live the bristly brushes!

Mike
 
Mornin' all- those L auks seem to have gone down well, which is very gratifying so thanks for kind words and encouragement.

Next up for the attack of the bristlehounds should be some Hooded Mergs- I've been itching to do these ones, which were lined up like destroyers, taking it in turns to swim into a storm drain and fish in the dark. Thus far some lunchtime composing with the trusty highlighter pens, second layout is birds as seen, third with a hopefully more dynamic viewpoint.
 

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ambitious composition that'll be a gem once you decide on a composition, don't know how I'd compose this one, looking forward to seeing how you tackle it.
 
Ed...can't wait to see what you do with this - love hooded mergansers - and hey fishing in a storm drain - doesn't that show amazing adaptability on the part of the mergs...
 
Those sketches are bl**dy marvelous! Whatever composition you decide on I'm looking forward to seeing devlopments, the source material is so strong.

Mike
 
Morning all. Got side-tracked from the Hooded Merg pic by thoughts of W T Eagles- here's latest attack of the bristlies (24" x 24").

Keen viewers might wonder where the birdies is-answer is that they haven't quite arrived yet, but in due course there will be two distant but blocky White-tails just to the right of the two distant but blocky white pumphouse buildings and assuming all goes well whole bunch of distant but blocky white G W egrets flushing out of the reeds.
 

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