revivingKensArt (1 Viewer)

[timwootton]

Hi Ken - you may be surprised at how and where the bird's anatomy fits -

 

[solitaryVSong]

Thanks Tim!

I do have a 10 pound (in weight) book on bird biology that I decided I was going to have to get out and hunt through today. I know that it has some diagrams like this. After I posted this I thought: you know maybe that is where the leg connects to the torso. Thanks so much for saving me the work. And you're right it is surprising!

This morning just as I was waking up I also remembered that Lars Jonsson has a very vivid Northern Shoveler in his 'Birds of Europe' that I should also take a look at. I still get a kick out of it: the bird stares right at you, like he's going to step off the page and bite your hand!

 

[ed keeble]

I did a couple of 15-minute watercolors at start of week using photos of a Northern Shoveler I took a few months ago. They were a disaster. So today I decided to do some sketches of the NS and other ducks I had some photos of to see if I couldn't get a better since of duck structure.

After two watercolors and one sketch of the same photo of the NS it finally hit me that I have no idea how he got his foot up in the air like that. I mean I know he got it there by lifting up his leg. But I can't imagine that the leg is attached that high up on the torso. So I'm sure missing something here. I guess this shows the dangers of working from photos. But it was all I had to work with...........

you've got it right- leg is anchored high and far back on all birds (have a look when you next cook a chicken), with a hidden "knee " joint, so all sorts of scope for the foot to appear from unexpected places

 

[PWG]

Some while back we had several threads about bird anatomy and you may be interested in this site: http://www.skullsite.com/skeletons/index.htm?birdskeletons.htm~tree

 

[solitaryVSong]

Thanks Ed and PWG,

Those skeletons are great! It was late when I posted last night and I thought 'well the leg should be down there where the other one is.' It was only when I woke up this morning that I realized the other one probably started much higher up as well.

I did know that they started a bit higher than you'd think on a bird but still couldn't visualize it up that high. I'm going to need to book mark this skeleton link for the next time I have such questions.

 

[solitaryVSong]

A few more duck studies, all based on photos I took. Two sketches are of American Wigeons, including a lone Mallard, and one sketch of two Gadwalls, the male squished just a bit. Finally a quick watercolor of another Wigeon.

I'm slowly working my way through most of the duck photos I've taken over the last year and will probably do a number of additional pencil studies and some quick watercolors.

Then maybe onto a more developed watercolor of ducks, or maybe a more developed pastel or charcoal. I'm starting to get antsy about not touching the charcoal and pastel in such a long time.

 

[colleenc]

lovely studies Ken, I really like the deep contrasts you got on the first drawing

 

[timwootton]

Lovely pencil work Ken - very appealing indeed.

 

[nickderry]

so much to look through, and of such a high standard - I'll just look and enjoy it all.

 

[Woody]

I always have trouble with wildfowl, it looks like you've got 'em cracked though.

Mike

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

love these Ken

 

[solitaryVSong]

Thanks for the comments all! I've been having a good time doing such 'easy' art, just drawing what I see in my duck photos. One of these days I hope it pays off with knowledge gained and that this shows up in more developed work. My guess is that as soon as I start a new watercolor, pastel, charcoal I'll forget all I've learned Well not really but it might look that way.

 

[solitaryVSong]

Finished off one more pencil drawing of Northern Pintails today then threw off the bonds of detail and spent some time on some 15-60 minute watercolors, also of Pintails.

 

[nickderry]

ooh, now these are very enjoyable indeedy - lots of mood and atmosphere.

 

[timwootton]

yes.

 

[Woody]

ooh, now these are very enjoyable indeedy - lots of mood and atmosphere.

Especially the first one methinks.

Mike

 

[colleenc]

love how you worked in the reflections on the first one, bravo!

 

[solitaryVSong]

ooh, now these are very enjoyable indeedy - lots of mood and atmosphere.

Thanks Nick et al.. I agree eith Mike about the first one being my favorite by far. I find that often if I just start painting without using a pencil I'm happiest with the results.

Knowing that I went and did the opposite on the current, horribly overworked watercolor. Those thin lines of white on the necks of the Pintails I was afraid I'd lose if I didn't pencil them in first. I'm doing these 'quick' watercolors on paper from Aquabee Super Deluxe sketchbook. It's very good. Pretty think and heavy paper and able to take quite a lot of work. But nothing like what I've done here. The paper is warped silly!

But once I got started on it I just couldn't stop. I do like the overall feel of it. But I think it would probably work best as a brand new watercolor on heavier paper.

 

[ChrissyM]

Hi Ken, that last one is very nice and fluid. You have been busy....
I can never work on thin paper no matter how hard I try for various reasons that I think I shall just shut up about ;-)
As for the Pintails, I like the first one for the reflections and the busier composition, it looks more natural somehow.

 

[Woody]

Back in the days when I used watercolour I found that I had to stretch the paper every time, I just hate cockled paper!

Mike