Recent sketches (1 Viewer)

[nickderry]

duck bills are hard anywy - you see them through bins and scopes and you think you know what you're looking at, then you visit Slimbridge with a bag of grain and realise just how small and delicate some of the bills are - but if you ever drew them that small they would look wrong. Very nice work here, and concentrating on one species does pay off so much.

 

[timwootton]

With a duck's bill you've picked one of the hardest subjects to focus on and then to approach the 3/4 view on a moving subject is ridiculously difficult. But it wouldn't appear to be looking at these sketches - proportions, angles and shapes are all beautifully seen and exquisitely drawn - the character of the bird is described perfectly. Cracking work, Russ.

 

[Woody]

I'll third or fourth the beak thing. I reckon you've done a cracking, bang-up job with these.

Mike

 

[colleenc]

not that I know anything about beaks and bills, but sometimes it helps me looking here http://www.skullsite.com/index.htm to see the skeletal forms underneath. You may know this site already....I always end up spending time there when I look up something, it's fascinating.

I'm working up avos right now and seeing the skull was a revelation.

 

[phil baber]

Loving the Tufties Russ!

Admiration also for the concerted effort you put in. And the "blending" is really bringing your birds to life in wonderful ways! They are starting to live on the page!

Remarkable!

 

[RussB]

Thanks for the comments, you've fortunately not seen some of my earlier efforts! It got to the point where I was thinking they were impossible to do, for me any way. I do know that al the fun will begin again with Great Crested Grebes this summer, watch this space.
I spent three hours sketching Curlews 'oop on't tops' at Whitley Common (Tim W will know where I mean, but when he wor a lad there were loads of birds there!) this morning. Alas these birds are not really approachable due to all the disturbance so it's a case of high mag. Disciplined myself to concentrate on structure and not fart about with plumage, which seems to work better. At a distance I can only make a suggestion of it out anyway. I've tried to capture the twisted head feeding posture on one bird. I'm growing increasingly fond of these birds as subjects as I wasn't the curlew's biggest fan - don't know why.

Looks like my scanner's on the way out - this isn't purposeful smudging!

Russ

 

[RussB]

Thanks for the link re skulls, Colleen. I'll follow this up. Regarding the other comments here it seems I'm not on my own with quacker's bills. I could go on and on about these but I've had to even borrow 'how to books' to try to get my head around things like foreshortening and how the right side of the brain comes in to play when drawing a certain way. As in everything I think it's just a case of soldiering on

Russ

 

[nickderry]

some fine stuff here Russ - I know we keep bugging you, but I hope you realise that you are a very capable observer and artist, and now we really want to see you take these further and produce some 'homework' as it were (unless you don't want to, in which case we'll just enjoy this fieldwork), but really you could, and as I'm a pest, you really should!

 

[phil baber]

Perhaps if you allow us to "colour in" some designated pieces that you did, and feed them back to you?

From different perspectives?

So you could see what you could achieve, from different angles?

It's a bit cheeky. But, am sure it would give you more confidence in trying colour.

If anyone else is up for it, I'd be willing. Then, perhaps, each artist could describe the media, techniques used to achieve the effect? That would certainly give you a broader aspect as to what's possible?

Nick, is like me. He wont let it lie!

Lovely sketches of the Curlews. The unattention to precise feather detail?

Unlock the zoo. Free the animals!!!! :t:

 

[nickderry]

Nick, is like me. He wont let it lie!

:t:

This is true - CORMORANT! :-O

But yes Russ, you know you really want to go for it really!

 

[solitaryVSong]

I have to agree with the others. These are just asking for further development, at least in the eyes of the rest of us. I wonder what would happen if you got a small watercolor set and just tried drawing the birds in a thin watercolor wash. You could stay linear like you are now but use a small brush rather than a pencil point to make the marks. That might lead you into painting a bit more easily.

But you always have to do what seems natural to you. I see a very sensitive handling of shape and think that you're very close to making that much richer by the addition of color and texture. Anyway they're a pleasure to see regardless of which direction you take.

 

[RussB]

Thanks for the comments guys. I'm totally up for sending sketches for proper 'treatment'! I've pages of 'em stashed away doing zero. Seriously I select only one out of perhaps 15 finished sketches for what I hope to use for illustrations in the local bird report. Never in my wildest dreams would I expect to get to standard where people would want to pay money for my stuff!
Honestly, if anyones got the time or inclination for art lessons then here I am!
I'm hoping to spend many hours in the field this summer once the hellish domestics are out of the way, and when the sun's blazing I will try colour - I owe it to you!

Russ

 

[phil baber]

Russ, the washes will dry faster in the sunshine!

(I will ignore that Nick mentioned the "C" word...Cormorant! Grrr!

Sorry Russ! Artists like to have vendettas and duels. Never let it get to that stage!)

 

[RussB]

A few waders sketched this weekend.
Common Sand attempted in a variety of poses, including the 'walking away feeding' variety - one which gave me real problems the first time I attempted them. Obliging, resting Wood Sand at Old Moor RSPB today, and Ringed Plovers, which reminded me how difficult they are, especially when trying to draw the face pattern. In order for me to do this I had to keep waiting until the bird settled in the same position - not fun in a blisteringly cold N wind with half-frozen hands. Sketching a facing-away bird did away with the problem somehow! I could have used my knowledge but something never looks right when I do 'em this way - perhaps I'm trying to be too precise, which raises the ugly head of the 'how to' dillema again! Do I stick to my own style, which inevitably means I have to put bits in what I know are there, but are missed as I'm trying to se the 'whole bird', or do I go methodical, which would mean me using one sketchbook per species!? I can hear the cries now: just do it, man!

Russ

 

[rockfowl]

On Wednesday, I'm bringing paints with me, one of the brushes has your name on it

 

[colleenc]

Go Mark! this set of sketches say get on with it ...move out of your comfort zone....and into the new world , you're ready!

 

[nickderry]

I can hear the cries now: just do it, man!

Russ

Good! You've been listening! o

Some superb stuff here, the waders are all instantly recogniseable with just the minimum of detail, the shape says it all (old field guides were soooooooo wrong with waders).

 

[RussB]

Cheers, it looks like I'm following the Busby/Ennion/Mccallum route instead of the Jonsson ( surely must be the most phenomenal powers of observation on earth ) route. Still, the question remains, and still gnaws away at me: How mportant is knowledge of the bird (ie how tertials and covets fit together and which bit goes where) compared to powers of observation? How important is drawing what I see compared to what I know of the subject? Or does it really matter ? That's three questions! Whilst you guys ponder this I'm off to China for a couple of week ( no I'm not loaded, I'm helping out on a tour ) but I will whip it out (the sketchbook I mean) if I get the oppo.

Cheers, talk to you in a bit

Russ

 

[nickderry]

knowing how a bird 'fits together' can do two things - it makes it easier to see where the bits fit together in the field, and it makes it easier to pretend you've seen the bits and draw them in where you think they should go. One is good, one is bad. I do both. Have fun in China, hope you get the chance to do some sketching. Only Chinese bird I've seen was very crispy and quite delicious.

 

[timwootton]

Only Chinese bird I've seen was very crispy and quite delicious.

I agree Nick - that's exactly how I'd describe Lucy Liu, too