From Tim Wootton's Studio (6 Viewers)

[jomo]

Best wishes, Tim!

 

[peter mathios]

It's a party!!!! That's hilarious :-O

 

[timwootton]

Ha ha! - brilliant work Jomo. I'll never look at a diver in the same way again!!!!
Nice drawings, Paul - lovely!
All the best folks.

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

I like the version with the party hats

 

[halftwo]

One of your best Tim. And Happy (belated) Birthday,B

 

[dryslwyn]

And from me too:hi: Loving your recent work :t:

 

[kittykat23uk]

Ditto! Hope you had a nice birthday and enjoying seeing this one develop!

 

[timwootton]

Ahhhh! That's it!

Ever had the feeling that something's not quite right?
The diver painting is, well, okay at the moment, but I know something is wrong. Here's the revelation, as I see it . ..
The nearest bird is too 'close' to the furthest in profile, but, as it is agitated and alert, it spoils the tranquility of the painting. I'm going to shorten his neck (reducing his alert posture) and have him casually glancing more towards the viewer. I think the overall comp will benefit from this.
Here's a sketch showing the new bird (I think!).

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

await and see what you are going to do.
The farther bird seems bigger i know the nearer is alert but it may be just me Tim.

 

[dryslwyn]

Perhaps the two similar painted birds looking in the same direction are leading the viewer straight out of the picture. The direction the new painting of the nearer duck is looking should bring the viewer back into the picture and provide contrast. And all that after half a bottle of Chardonnay! B

 

[timwootton]

. . .

Ah well - I have now painted the nearside diver and I am happy with the decision - it now has the right expression, too (I think).
However, now I have done this bird, I am no longer satisfied with the farside bird (!!!)- I'm changing its head profile slightly so we'll see what happens Next . . . . . .
(Only problem with all these changes is that the reflections have to be re-painted each time as well . . . . . .)

Ps thanks Arthur, Wendy - good points, well made.

 

[nickderry]

ooh, a decapitation! Exciting. Stick with it, this one's going to be great.

 

[birdpotter]

This is interesting. I don't know if I would have noticed the composition, if you hadn't pointed it out. I am interested to see how the positions of the divers change the whole thing. I am learning so much.

But please promise you'll keep the party hats?

 

[jacquot]

Yes, I liked it before, but was wondering what are they looking at and felt something wasn't complete. I had thought a reflection of whatever it was might appear, but that can be a bit too clever, the position would have required liberties and it would have to be vague enough to just suggest something and balance. This new posture brings us into it more, and I like it better, more engaging. As to the other bird, I look forward to it's moment.... I think you have more freedom, now, as to what it does, and if a reflection appeared--or anything else, for that matter--it would be more natural. I like the evolution. Thanks for showing this.

David

 

[jomo]

I definitely think this change has sort of brought the birds back into the picture -- previously you could have drawn a diagonal line across to separate them from the rest of the scene, but now you'd be getting in their way. If you follow!

 

[nickderry]

ah, now I understand, there was a post explaining the reason for all this that I missed, yes definitely, the birds turning their heads towards us uses the otherwise empty space and creates balance, and as you say freedom (and less of a headache because the thin streaking on the back of the neck isn't visible!) Advantages all round!

 

[timwootton]

. . .

A day away from the painting and i'm much clearer about it now. I feel the back bird was just too static and I now like the idea that there's a swaying from side to side of the two heads (or is that just me being fanciful?).
Anyway enough b100dy birds - onto the b100dy habitat.

 

[Strandman]

A day away from the painting and i'm much clearer about it now. I feel the back bird was just too static and I now like the idea that there's a swaying from side to side of the two heads (or is that just me being fanciful?).
Anyway enough b100dy birds - onto the b100dy habitat.

Is the front bird a little less turned towards us now than it was in the nifty little sketch you did in (which I adored- please don't throw it away!)?

Reason for asking was that lovely bits of the sketch included:

-where the finger of red went up into point under the throat, the bird was turned just far enough towards us to see grey on the far side of the red

- where red met the white of breast, bird was turned far enough for there to be a strong "v" contour to the bottom of the red

I'm just musing that those two features would increase the differentation between the two birds..

 

[timwootton]

It is Ed - but it's also starting to turn back (ever so slightly) this way again. The features you mention are in the painting, but less obvious. I'll post a detail when i've done a bit more marshy stuff.
Well spotted, by the way.

 

[peter mathios]

This has been a lot of fun to watch develop! Thanks for sharing and I can't wait to see the habitat...