Monday 30 June 2014

Northern Flicker in acrylics

I enjoyed painting this one - just love the position bird is standing on the rock.

An interesting fact about the Northern Flicker is even though it can climb trees and hammer on wood trunks to find food like any other woodpecker, it prefers to look for food on the ground namely ants.  It has a long barded tongue that it uses to lap them up.

Northern Flicker measures 8 x 6 inches and is painted on Raymar's feather lite canvas panel.

Many thanks to Nigel for the reference photo.

Sold




Thursday 26 June 2014

Robin in acrylics

Robins are one of my favourite birds to paint.    I really enjoyed painting this one - just love the way it is perched on the tree stump.

Robin measures 6 x 6 inches and is painted on Raymay's Feather lite Canvas panel.

Many thanks to Kev Chapman for the reference photo.

Sold



Wednesday 25 June 2014

Woodland Path in acrylics

I decided to paint this one for the Daily Paintworks Path challenge.    I couldn't decide if I should paint it on the Gessobord panel or the Canvas panel - eventually went with the canvas panel as I wanted a bit texture.  I am rather pleased with how it turned out.

Woodland Path measures 6 x 6 inches and is painted on Raymar's Feather Lite Canvas panel.

 




Tuesday 24 June 2014

Prothonotary Warbler ACEO in acrylics

So for my next bird aceo, I painted this lovely little bird.  Really pleased with how this one turned out.

The Prothonotary Warbler is a small songbird that breed in south eastern Ontario and Eastern United States and winter in the West Indies, Central America and Northern South Ameica. They are about 13 cm in length and weigh around 12.5 grams.

Prothonotary Warbler measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to USFWS for the reference photo.

Sold


Red Rumped Parrot ACEO in acrylics

This one was interesting to paint. It was a bit tricky painting the beak as it is rather small - ended up using the rigger script no 2 brush.

The Red Rumped Parrot is also known as the Red Backed Parrot or Grass Parrot. They are found in South Eastern Australia from New South Wales, Victoria,   parts of North - Eastern South Australia and South - Western Queensland.  They measure between 26 - 27 cm in length and weight on average 65 grams.

Red Rumped Parrot measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Patrick Kavanagh for the reference photo.

Sold

Friday 20 June 2014

Autumn Road in acrylics

This one was fun to paint and I needed a bit of a break from detail.  Rather pleased with the how the final painting turned out.

Autumn Road measures 6 x 6 inches and is painted on Ampersand Gessobord panel.

Many thanks to Gail Young for the reference photo.



Tuesday 17 June 2014

Common Chiffchaff ACEO in acrylics

So for my next bird aceo, I painted this lovely little bird - really pleased with the final painting - used mostly Naples Yellow with a bit of cadmium yellow + white for the feathers.

These birds are found throughout Northern and temperate Europe and Asia and winter in southern and western Europe, southern Asia and North Africa. They measure around 10 - 12 cm's in length and weigh between 6 - 8 grams

Common Chiffchaff measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Ron Knight for the reference photo.

Sold



Blue Headed Vireo ACEO in acrylics

I love the angle this bird is sitting on the branch - it was a bit of challenge painting the wings but I got there in the end.

The Blue - Headed Vireo is a songbird found in North and Central America.  They measure around 13 - 15 cm's in length and weighs between 13 - 19 grams.

Blue Headed Vireo measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren for the reference photo.

Sold


Hummingbird ACEO in acrylics

I have wanted to paint this one for ages.  I am really pleased with how it turned out - I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to paint the bird as it is really small but I used a number 2 rigger script brush and it worked perfectly.

Hummingbird measures 3.5 x 2 .5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches Watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Bill Thompson/USFWS for the reference photo.

Sold



Friday 13 June 2014

Malagasy Kingfisher in acrylics

So for my next kingfisher painting, I decided to paint this beautiful Malagasy Kingfisher.  I just love the colouring of these birds. 

Malagasy Kingfisher are also known as Madagascar Kingfisher.  They are closely related to the Malachite Kingfisher which have a reddish orange bill as opposed to the Malagasy Kingfisher that has a black bill.

Malagasy Kingfisher measures 6 x 6 inches and is painted on Raymar's feather lite canvas panel.

Many thanks to Frank Vassen for the reference photo.

Sold


Thursday 12 June 2014

Western Tanager in Acrylics

I love the vibrant colouring of this bird.  Really pleased with how the  final painting turned out.

Western Tanagers are  a medium sized American Songbird. They measure around 16 - 19 cm in length and weigh between 24 - 36 grams.    An interesting fact about these birds is that the scarlet head feathers come from rare pigment called rhodoxanthin.  Since they are unable to make this substance themselves, it is believed that they obtain it from the insects that they eat.

Western Tanager measures 6 x 6 inches and is painted on Raymar's feather lite canvas panel.

Many thanks to Nigel for the reference photo.

Sold



Tuesday 10 June 2014

Eversmann's Redstart ACEO in acrylics

This one was fun to paint  - everything just worked and I am pleased with the final painting.

Eversmann's Redstart are also known as Rufous - Backed Redstart and breed in the mountains of Central Asia and Southern Siberia.  They are one of the larger redstarts measuring between 15 to 16 cm in length.

Eversmann's Redstart measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Ron Knight for reference photo.

Sold



Great Crested Flycatcher ACEO in acrylics

I love the position this bird is sitting on the branch. I am really pleased with how the final painting turned out. I was bit worried about painting all those markings on it's wing but  they turned out fine.

These birds are found in North America mostly on the eastern and mid - western areas of the continent. They measure between 17 - 21 cm in length and weigh between 27 - 40 grams.

Great Crested Flycatcher measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches Watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren for the reference photo.

Sold

Thursday 5 June 2014

Autumn's Splendour in acrylics

For something different I decided to paint this beautiful autumn scene.  I am really pleased with the final painting.  It went through the "ugly stage" but I just kept going until it started to take shape.

Autumn's Splendour measures 6 x 6 inches and is painted on Ampersand Gessobord Panel.




Many thanks to http://www.goodfreephotos.com for the reference photo.

Red Browed Finch in acrylics

I just used my last 6 x 6 inch Raymar panel this week. Just as well I ordered some more. They should arrive next week.  I really do like the square panels so I decided to order a pack of 8 x 8 inch panels to try.  Just sometimes need a larger panel than the 6 x 6 inch so looking forward to trying them out.

The Red Browed Finch is also known as the Red Browed Firetails.  They are around 10 - 12 cm in length and weigh on average 11 grams.

Red Browed Finch measures 6 x 6 inches and is painted on Raymar's Feather Lite Canvas panel.

Many thanks to Patrick Kavanagh for the reference photo.

Sold

Blue Tit ACEO in acrylics

I love the colouring of these birds and really enjoyed painting this little guy.

Eurasian Blue Tits measure around 12 cm in length and weigh around 11 grams and are found throughout Europe and Western Asia.

Blue Tit measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches Watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Gary Jones for the reference photo.

Sold








Striated Pardalote ACEO in acrylics

I love the angle this little guy is perched on the branch.  I am really pleased how this one turned out - everything just seemed to work. 

Striated Pardalotes are found throughout Australia.  They measure between 8 - 10 cm in length and weigh on average 11 grams.

Striated Pardalote measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on 30 gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Patrick Kavanagh for the reference photo.

Sold


Tuesday 3 June 2014

Wilson's Warbler ACEO in acrylics

This one was a bit tricky to paint as it had to make the bird stand out from the branch. Got there in the end - just had to keep darking and lighting the branch until it looked right.

These birds breed across Canada as well as south through the western US.  They are measure between 10 - 12 cm in length and weigh between 5 - 10 grams.

Wilson's Warbler measure 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches Watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren for the reference photo.

Sold


Cassin's Kingbird ACEO in acrylics

Talk about strange weather this year.  We had a unseasonal hot autumn and now I can hear thunder so it looks like we are going to have a storm in winter!!  Very weird. 

These birds are found in south western United States and Mexico.  They are a large flycatcher bird measuring 21 - 23 cm in length and weigh around 45 grams.

Cassin's Kingbird measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren for the reference photo.

Sold