From the sketchbook... (7 Viewers)

[buzzard12]

A few quick sketches from a few days ago at Sandemar. Pheasants,


...have not had time to get em on here due to a mad few days at work. Off for ten days now though and am off to Landsort at 5am in the morning for five days intensive birding...

Looking forward to it...

 

[JRE]

Lovely work, as ever :clap:

 

[timwootton]

Super drawings - great way to warm up, Alan. have a smashing break - sounds like you deserve it. look forward to the results.

 

[buzzard12]

Super drawings - great way to warm up, Alan. have a smashing break - sounds like you deserve it. look forward to the results.

Cheers Tim. Turns out the weather is far from ideal, but at this time of year there is always something of interest, so not worried too much, just have to work a little harder...

Promise some watercol.ur work in the near future along with whatever sketches I take over the week...

Off to bed early now...

Edit; Just noticed the thread has just gone past 10,000 views, just want to thank all of those active in the forum here for the many kind comments and good advice left here over the last year or so. Good Birding and Wet Brushes to you all!

 

[nickderry]

love the pheasants, you've captured the jerky scratchy nature of them to a T. Hope you get some good birding done over the next few days and plenty of more great sketches.

 

[timwootton]

Cheers to the particular landmark of 10k - and what a supremely inspirational thread this is!!!

 

[Woody]

Just wanted to say how good those pheasants are and to wish you luck with the birding on your break. I know the results of the sketching will be superb as always and I agree with Tim, the thread is certainly an inspiration.

Woody

 

[ariesct]

the pheasants sketches are well done.

 

[buzzard12]

Well folks, due to incredibly cold weather I managed to contract a truly tremendous dose of a cold whilst on Landsort and was forced to cut the trip a day short. The decision was made somewhat easier by a weather forecast which told me the island would have no migrants, a cold northerly wind with snow! Snow did not materialize, though at just 3 degrees celsius sketching would of been extremely difficult without my gloves, which of course I left in Stockholm...
However, the first three days saw me sketch a little and the trip was far from a waste of time. Most of the birds seen were on seawatches. Subjects were hard to come by,though Chiffcaff, Rough Legged Buzzards in numbers on day 1, Goldcrests everyday, Goosander juv.,Waxwings on day 2 and 3(100's) and a single Great Grey Shrike did make themselves available to me. The Pied Flycatcher, a very late bird, is from the local greenbelt at Tanto Park. A rather late and very confiding bird which I thought might of been a semi collared but not to be.... Shall be turning this into a watercolour.
Got a call this morning to let me know it was there and went down to check it out, flu and all

...Chiffchaff, Great Grey Shrike and head on Waxwing below

 

[dryslwyn]

Really lovely work as always- hope you are fully recovered by now.

 

[buzzard12]

Rough Legged Buzzards. 25 birds passed over on day 1. Sitting on the northern tip off the island in warm sunshine watching them drift over was a rather nice experience...

 

[buzzard12]

Goldcrests. A favourite subject of mine. Hundreds seen over three days.

 

[buzzard12]

Goosander Juvenile.

Pied Flycatcher at Tanto.

Happy with both of these and will work them into watercolurs...

 

[nickderry]

a tremendous set of sketches, I marvel at how you see so much more than I do in what you draw, the shapes are superb, and the accuracy is never at the expense of the essence of the bird.

 

[buzzard12]

a tremendous set of sketches, I marvel at how you see so much more than I do in what you draw, the shapes are superb, and the accuracy is never at the expense of the essence of the bird.

Your field sketching is much stronger than you give yourself credit for... I suppose its always difficult to look at your own work objectively...

Just realized that the moustacial mark on the Pied Flycatcher is not in my sketch

Off to the artstore to get a few bits and pieces, have decided that bad weather and a cold should only lead to a watercolour or two, even if I just feel like lying on the couch under a blanket!

 

[timwootton]

Oh, Lordy, lordy!!!! Exceptional drawings. You see the most wonderful shapes of birds - they always have that compactness and fullness to them - distinctive of your work. I really expect to see some progress on the colour front (in my opinion, I don't think they need all that much adding to them - keep the linework as it is and wash a slight blush of colour into them - the birds are alive as it is, a touch of hue will illuminate them just that bit more). Fabulous Alan - have a wee nip for purely medicinal purposes, of course.

 

[buzzard12]

Nice Avatar Tim!


Anyhow, had forgotten the horrible things that watercolour paint can do to you. Nothing like the image I had in my head. Several times was seen to hover over the painting, hands pressing into the sides of my head thinking, "No, it's not supposed to do that!" (Much to the amusement of my girlfriend, Linda, who incidentally likes it.)
Wrestled with it pretty much all the way actually. Kind of fun in a way, might have to try it again soon! Was left with this at the end. Will decide whether I like it at some stage in the future...

 

[timwootton]

WOW - that's just so-fecking-good! Beautiful - you've kept the drawing and placed the colour just where it should be, and just the right amount. I seriously think this is a painting of the very highest class - Love it -Love it - Love it!"!!!!!
It's delicious.

 

[buzzard12]

Spent an hour on this watercolour sketch today in the evening, though not happy with it.

Back to Black throats again. Figure I need to darken the water and the subjects substantially to get the effect I am looking for, also the eye is place wrongly on the head, but a fun exercise in any case which has me thinking about that large canvas sitting there looking at me blankly...
If nothing else a testament to doing colour sketches in the field or when the scene is fresh in your mind...

 

[spizaetos]

I think only Tim or Nick could help you in this case Alan!
Having seen your previous watercolours, the progress is more than obvious!
This Flycatcher is my favorite, and the black-whites, absolutely fantastic!!

spizaetos