Back to Birds

I haven't painted any birds for several months and I do enjoy painting them. This week I was prompted to do so and this is my latest attempt for the Facebook page `Paint Colorful Birds For Fun'.

Parrakeet - 16" x 12" Centenaire (Great Art own brand) 140lb (300gsm) not

This was done using a guide photo on my ipad. The attraction was twofold, movement and great colours. 

The blues used were Phalo Blue (Maimeri PB15-3 Green Shade), Ultramarine Blue (PB29), Cobalt Teal Blue (Daniel Smith PG50 ) and Cerulean (Daler Rowney PB36). The red was a mixture of Quinacridone Coral (Daniel Smith PR209), Quinacridone Rose (Graham PV19) and a touch of Permanent Carmine (W& N PR N/A). The surrounding colours comprised mixtures of Phalo Green (Maimeri PG7),. Apatite Green (Daniel Smith), Translucent Brown (Schminke PBr41) plus some Raw Umber and Burnt Umber. I think that's it. 

I first made a loose pencil drawing using a Pentel 07 2B mechanical pencil, then painted the head moving outwards. The surrounding area was painted simultaneously rather than  afterwards. After it was all fully dry I added a few small marks to define things a little better. I did put a small amount of masking fluid (Pebeo) on the head area. I did splash the paint in the surrounding area to avoid too tight a result.

I only used two brushes, the Isabey retractable No.6 and a Rosemary No 6 retractable Kolinsky. The Isabey, while called a 6 is actually very slim and considerably smaller than the Rosemary 6 but good for detail.

Overall I was quite pleased with the result.

The European Crested Tit

This is the latest subject, no actually another has just been posted the Grey Heron, for the `Paint Colorful Birds For Fun' community on Facebook.

12" x 9" Paper (?)

It struck me I was painting many of the birds on too large a sheet of paper so this one is smaller. As can be seen it allowed my preference for colourful subjects to flourish. After a careful contour drawing I used Pebeo Drawing Gum (masking fluid) on the head, mainly on the area above the eyes. There is also a little in the wing area, in every case just fine lines - no large areas, as well as  the tree trunk. This was applied with a ruling pen, which I find very useful for this type of work.  I know a  number of artists urge caution about the use of masking fluid but it is very useful as long as it isn't overdone.

The Tufted Coquette

This is the latest bird subject on the `Paint Colorful Birds for Fun' Facebook community. Can't say I'm very happy with it and have cropped the painting somewhat. It's colourful but that's about it.

Lots of scope for colour, too much possibly, with all the usual suspects present.  I think it an example of what happens when things get too complicated so I should have simplified much more. I may have another shot at it this afternoon but am more inclined to do an Indian portrait as I've just been watching the Charles Reid `Figurative Watercolours' video again.. Unfortunately since Xmas eve I've been struggling with a virus which has ebbed and flowed and returned with a vengeance yesterday. I think perhaps this was due to the soaking received when leaving Bath Artists studios on Monday. Still I feel better today so fingers crossed. I've been doing some work on the Kolinsky Sable brush piece but still more to do before I can post it.

The White-Crested Turaco

This is the latest bird featured in the `Paint Colorful Birds for Fun' community on Facebook. I combined two photos and made up the rest.

My working setup.

I first drew the larger bird at the front then painted it. I had thought I might add another and eventually did so. Colours used were Hookers Green, Green-Gold (Rowney), and Viridian (Rowney). Hansa Yellow Medium (Daniel Smith), Indian Yellow (Rowney), Turquoise (Lukas) Ivory Black (Maimeri), Indigo (Daniel Smith), plus touches of Quinacridone Rose (Graham), and on the tree, Raw Sienna, Gold Ochre, Quinacridone Rust (Graham) and Yellow Ochre (Graham).

Brushes used were the Isabey 6228 Kolinsky sizes 4, 6, and 8 plus the retractables 6201 size 4 and 6. This was painted on the back of a reject painting as it was basically an exercise designed to get me going once more..

Northern Cardinal

This is the completed painting of the drawing shown at the end of the previous post. On studying the drawing I realised the tail was not quite right so changed the contours and erased the old line.

Northern Cardinal 15" x 11" Gerstaeker No.3 200gsm not

This was another in the `Paint Colorful Birds For Fun" Facebook page. It was done quite quickly and with a limited number of colours. The bird is mainly Cadmium Red Pale (Rowney PR108) and the surrounding green Hookers Green, which I splashed on. before painting.  I drew on a number of very fine lines of Pebeo Drawing Gum applied with a ruling pen. The eyes and chin are Ivory Black (Maimeri) and the beak mainly Indian Yellow (Rowney PY153). Pigment PY153 is becoming unavailable so I'll have to find an equivalent.  The tree trunk he is perched on is a mixture of Raw and Burnt Umber, some Cerulean and Quinacridone Burnt Orange. Also some darks from Ultramarine and Burnt Umber.

Gerstaeker No.3 is a cheap cellulose paper, exclusively from Great Art, which comes in a pad of 65 sheets, and the only brushes used were the Isabey 6 retractable and the Escoda 1214 No.8.

Don't think I'm only concentrating on birds from now on. This is just to get me into the painting groove again. I think I shall attempt a portrait or two very soon and then other subjects. My pending house move will interrupt things when it finally happens, possibly in around a months time.

Back to Painting

After my recent blank period I finally got back to painting. The relatively minor health problems I have suffered are more or less over, although the house move is still not finalized. Nevertheless the other day I managed a drawing in my `studio'. As I am sorting my art stuff ready for moving it is somewhat disorganized but nevertheless I managed.

Drawing of Eurasian Magpie. A `Colorful Birds' Subject.

Today was the `unofficial'  weekly Thursday Summer session of  Avon Valley Artists. What is meant by this is that members still meet at St Mary's Church Hall, but there is no programme and everyone does their own thing. The number varies but is lower than during the official Autumn and Winter programmes. I decided to take part and so did five other members - a little below normal.

Eurasian Magpie 15" x 11" Gerstaeker No.3 200gsm not.

When I made the drawing I aimed for an accurate but not over detailed result. The bird is essentially black and white, like most Magpie species, but includes some nice turquoise  areas, which I exaggerated slightly. I used two brushes, mostly the Escoda 1214 Retractable size 8, less so a Rosemary retractable rigger. The bird is Ivory Black (Maimeri) and Turquoise (Lukas PB16) with some Prussian Blue (PB27). There are small touches of Raw Umber and diluted Cerulean, the latter for shadows in the white areas. The branches are alternate warm and cool, with Cerulean for the cool and Raw Umber, Burnt Umber and Raw Sienna for the warm. A little Ivory black was added for the darker shadowed areas. I splashed Raw Sienna, Gold Ochre  (W & N PY43) and Quinacridone Burnt Orange (Daniel Smith PO48) onto the background, brushing out some of the splashes. Some over painting but kept to a minimum. I think that's it. I was quite pleased with the result. Painting is like many other interests in that a period of inactivity leads to rustiness. I should add the painting was done for the Facebook page `Paint Colorful Birds for Fun', which has proved very popular.  As I finished early (I always do) I commenced the next Colorful subject by completing the initial drawing. 

Northern Cardinal (North America).

I aim for a loose drawing and compare this with the guide photo as I go along. I do have to erase and redraw parts although I try and avoid too much erasing. This looks reasonably okay but I often make changes after further study.  

The Bullfinch and the Bee-eaters

I finally finished the Bullfinch painting so here it is.

Male Bullfinch. 16" x 12 Waterford 140lb (300gsm) Not

The black is Ivory Black from Maimeri. Blue is Cerulean and the orange-red is mainly Translucent Orange (Schminke (PO71) with some Qinacridone Rose (Graham PV19) in various dilutions. The berries are Quinacridone Rose in different strengths,. There is some Quinacriodone Gold (DS PO49) in the background. This was a more careful painting than the one that follows. 

Southern Carmine Bee-eaters. Approx 13" x 12" Paper Unknown - just an odd piece I happened to have.

This is this weeks subject at `Paint Colorful Birds for Fun', set up on Facebook by the artist Robin Berry in association with Gerard Hendriks. Fascinating to see the various approaches by different artists particularly  Gerards and Robins contributions. Anyone can join in. On the birds I used Turquoise (Lukas PB16) and Cobalt Teal Blue (Daniel Smith PG50), Quinacridone Coral (DS), Translucent Orange (Schminke PO71), Burnt Umber to darken, some Ivory Black (Maimeri), Quinacridone Gold (Daniel Smith PO49), Raw Umber and some Cerulean. I think that's it! Isabey brushes up to size 8. Gerard paints his versions as small sketches. I tried not to be over fussy and quite quick at 40 - 50 mins. I used two different photographs which is why the birds colouring varies although I did try to `link' them together - if that is the right word.