From Tim Wootton's Studio (1 Viewer)

[timwootton]

I'll take another peek at the raven in a year's time . . .
. . . meanwhile I sneaked off into the fog again tonight.
(Hi Elina - great to hear from you again and thank you very much.)

 

[jomo]

Second skua painting ... hues, composition, everything just GORGEOUS. Perfect!!!

 

[colleenc]

Second skua painting ... hues, composition, everything just GORGEOUS. Perfect!!!

and so majestic

 

[nickderry]

I'm reading a book about how we perceive images, it says that we don't have the dimension of time in painting - you've proved the author wrong. It's clear why these birds are your favourites.

 

[Jackie Garner]

I salute you - those skuas are even better than the previous ones I commented on. Lovely atmosphere, and proves bird art can satisfy both the birder and the artist.

Re. your raven, I think you're absolutely right and it would benefit from some darker tones in the background. That would make the bird fit in to its habitat better and improve things compositionally. Otherwise it's dark tones in the centre but nowhere else. Cracking image though, and I love the colours you've used in a "black" bird.

 

[ed keeble]

great verbals on the dog-walker

and then last skua pic especially- having them across the pages of that book gives them extra power somehow- I think it must be because it adds to the the sense of them being utterly genuine

 

[solitaryVSong]

I hate to repeat myself re the skuas account but I think I have to say the same thing I just said about Nick's sketches and paintings: I almost feel like I'm there sharing in the excitement! Well told as usual, and then beautifully portrayed.

 

[timwootton]

Just managed an hour tonight - when the birds finally dropped close enough and settled, the wind had picked up and I was already cold (poor me!). I made just the one study of this intermediate phase arctic skua as the sun dropped behind it. The juv was once again on the wing but never settled close to.
The dog-wan . . . sorry - walker was back - funny thing is, this time he chose a more circuitous route around the skuas
Showered and now a quick vod to thaw out the inners and beddies.

 

[nickderry]

what a glow on this, like the corona of an eclipse, the high horizon really makes the setting sun apparent by taking the land right up there to the top of the sky.

 

[phil baber]

Tim,

Atmospheric reportage!

Wildlife art at its very best. Humbled enough to not even comment.
Reading and seeing this has levelled me somewhat.

For the first time I cannot comment on your work.

Because I am completely stunned by it......

 

[timwootton]

A piece worked up in the studio from encounters over the past few days;
'Shades of Skuas' - watercolour, 22"x15"

 

[nickderry]

thoroughly, thoroughly wonderful.

 

[ed keeble]

A piece worked up in the studio from encounters over the past few days;
'Shades of Skuas' - watercolour, 22"x15"

that's marvellous- if you are able to reveal such mysteries, how many coats o' paint go into for example the breast of the dark phase bird: is it wet into wet and some texture on top, or is it a few more coats than that?

 

[Keith Glasgow]

Those skuas are absolutely wonderful!

I was leafing through Keith Brockie's 'Wildlife Sketchbook' last night, and noticed that a number of his drawings were from Orkney back in 1980. Have you been to any of the same places mentioned in his book to sketch the same birds? Just curious.

There must have been many artists over the years who spent time on Orkney - I assume you don't know who the 'Fair Isle' artist is back in 1958, in post 4 ....... http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=173564

Atb,
Keith.

 

[phil baber]

Skuapendous!

 

[timwootton]

I was allowed a half-day's holiday today for good behaviour, so in the heat of the afternoon I skipped up to Yesnaby and found some stuff (if the text on the drawings isn't legible, I'll type it on request).
Into the early evening and, having already missed dinner, thought I may as well nip around the coast and up to Birsay Moors to see how the red-throats were getting on - again I'll type anything necessary.

 

[timwootton]

. . .

 

[timwootton]

if you are able to reveal such mysteries, how many coats o' paint go into for example the breast of the dark phase bird: is it wet into wet and some texture on top, or is it a few more coats than that?

Thanks Ed - I go for the main value straight away and having the fieldwork to refer to , and having already addressed this in life, I've already got a fairly good idea what's needed. Of course the first layer is never nearly strong enough and so I build on top of that while there's still some wet left in it (tis can start to drag paint off also, so it needs to go on quick, I think. I think the addition of subtle marks in the paint acros the curves of the form help describe such, too. One thing I often find I have to do in the field is to glaze a blue/violet/chinese white reflected highlight over certain surfaces and this is something I bring back to the studio.

I was leafing through Keith Brockie's 'Wildlife Sketchbook' last night, and noticed that a number of his drawings were from Orkney back in 1980. Have you been to any of the same places mentioned in his book to sketch the same birds? Just curious.

There must have been many artists over the years who spent time on Orkney - I assume you don't know who the 'Fair Isle' artist is back in 1958, in post 4 ....... http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=173564

Atb,
Keith.

Aye Keith's work is to be pored over that's for sure and, although I haven't got the book to hand just now, I'l take a peek later and see where he went 30 years ago -the same places will be good today. For all Brockie fans, I have it on very good authority that the Man has been revisiting the Isle of May and is working on another book from there. Bound to be a classic!

No idea who the bearded painter is, Keith - but I bet I know someone who does.
Good to hear from you - let's see what you've been working on, eh?

 

[nickderry]

wonderful to see what normally distant dots of skuas and divers look like when you get intimate with them.

 

[solitaryVSong]

thoroughly, thoroughly wonderful.

Just tremendous Tim! The paintings, the drawings, the atmospheric reportage. I hardly know where to start with the compliments. So I'll just go back and look again instead. As my old Latin teacher used to say though, 'You're cooking on all four burners!'