Superb Fairy Wren in oils

I painted this one a week or so ago - was just waiting for it to dry before listing it.  I have been thinking of painting a female and male bird fairy wren together.  I have a few reference photos that I could use - just have to work out what size and if I should paint them on watercolour paper or a canvas board.

Superb Fairy Wren measures 6 x 6 inches and is painted on Ampersand Gessobord panel.

Many thanks to Wayne Butterworth for the reference photo.

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Autumn Road ACEO in acrylics

I nearly gave up on this one - just was not coming together but I continued on and suddenly the painting just took shape.  In the end up being rather fun to paint.

We didn't reach the high temperature that they predicted yesterday and it cooled down quite a bit by the evening.  Today we have a very strong wind blowing which is keeping the temperature down which is good.

Autumn Road measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm rough Arches watercolour paper.

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Many thanks to Kathie Luther for the reference photo.

Flowers by the River ACEO in acrylics

I changed this one quite a bit from the reference photo.  Just the placement of the river and distant trees are from the reference photo.  Rather pleased how it turned out in the end.

Flowers by the River ACEO measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

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White Breasted Nuthatch ACEO acrylics

I love the how these birds cling to tree trunks.  White Breasted Nuthatches are found across much of temperate Northern America.  They are about 13 - 14 cm long and range in weight from 18 - 30g.

Might be painting in oils tomorrow as it is meant to reach 35 degrees!! and my acrylic paints are drying rather fast on my palette. Or I might just run the air-conditioner instead - think we are in for a very hot summer. 

White Breasted Nuthatch measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

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Many thanks to USFWS for the reference photo.

Striated Pardalote ACEO in acrylics

This one was fun to paint.  There are four subspecies of the striated pardalote - yellow tipped pardalote , the striated pardalote, the Eastern striated or red tipped pardalote  and Blacked headed pardalote. Both male and female birds have similar plumage.

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

Many thanks to Patrick Kavanagh for the reference photo.

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Poppy Fields ACEO in oils

Painted this a week or so ago - just had to wait until the paint dried before I could scan it.  I was trying out the Strathmore Canvas paper trading cards.  I will use them for oil landscapes but I still prefer my watercolour paper for the acrylic paintings.

Poppy Fields measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on Strathmore Canvas Paper.

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Many thanks to Steve Lyddon for the reference photo.

Puffin in watercolours

I felt like a change so decided to paint this bird in watercolours.  Was rather fun to paint - I have worked out that when I paint in watercolours, I have to paint the same way as I do with oils and acrylics - ie I don't prepare  washes beforehand - I just squeeze out the colours I want for the painting
and mix as I go. 

Puffin measures 5 x 7 inches and is painted on 300gsm Arches rough watercolour paper.

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Many thanks to Gary Jones for the reference.

Tranquil River in Acrylics

I really enjoyed painting this one.  Love the river bank.  I added the flowers as the reference photo just had a muddy rocky area.  I am rather pleased with the end result.

Tranquil River measures 7 x 5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

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Eastern Bluebird in acrylics

I am really happy how this one turned out.  I used white, ultramarine blue and burnt amber to create the background colour  of bluey grey. Someone ask me the other day were I start a painting.  With a bird or animal painting I always start with the eyes - can't get into a painting unless I do them at the beginning - just doesn't look right until they are painted.  And for some reason I always paint the birds beak last. 

Eastern Bluebird measures 6 x 4 inches and is painted on 300gsm  Arches smooth watercolour paper.

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

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Red Capped Robin in acrylics

I decided to paint another red capped robin but in a larger format.  I always find painting the red feathers a challenge - can't just add white to lighten them so end up mixing white and yellow to create the lighter highlights.

Red Capped Robin measures 4 x 6 inches and is painted on 300gsm Arches smooth watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Patrick Kavanagh for the reference photo.

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Sea View ACEO in acrylics

After painting the birds,  I needed a break from detail so I painted this lovely scene.  I did think about  painting it bigger but it just seemed to suit the aceo size perfectly so ended up painting it as an Aceo.

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

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Many thanks to M Scott for the reference photo.

Black-throated Green Warbler ACEO in Acrylics

I have had this one printed out for a while to paint and today I felt like painting it. Rather pleased how it turned out.   They are a small song bird that is found in Eastern North America and Western Canada and on the southern Atlantic coast.  The male sings persistently during the breeding season.

Black Throated Green Warbler measures 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.

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Crested Shrike Tit ACEO in acrylics

I really enjoyed painting this bird.  Love its position on the branch.   These birds are found on mainland Australia and are separated into three geographically isolated subspecies - Eastern Shrike-tit, Western Shrike-Tit and Northern Shrike-Tit which is endangered.

Crested Shrike Tit measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Patrick Kavanagh for the reference photo.

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Bluebell Pathway ACEO in acrylics

This one was fun to paint.  I want to try and paint another bluebell watercolour scene this week - thinking about painting it as a 8 x 10 inch.  I will see how I go.

Bluebell Pathway measures 2.5 x 3.5 inch and is painted on 300gsm rough Arches watercolour paper.

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Many thanks to Michael Yates for the reference photo.

Autumn Trees ACEO in acrylics

I enjoy painting these little landscapes especially after painting the detailed bird paintings.  I can paint them in a more impressionistic style and  I don't have to worry about details.  It always surprises me how a painting just suddenly takes shape just when you think it was not going to work.

Autumn Trees measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm Arches rough watercolour paper.

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Many thanks to Joyce Lapp for the reference photo.

Laughing Kookaburra in acrylics

I was a bit worried about painting the background for this one as it has go a lot hotter here and I have noticed that the paint is drying a lot faster but I use the Atelier Interactive acrylic paints which helps as the paint stays workable for longer.  I am rather pleased  how this one turned out in the end. 

Laughing Kookaburra measures 7 x 5 inches and is painted on 300gsm Arches smooth watercolour paper.

Many thanks to James Niland for the reference photo.

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Olive Warbler ACEO in acrylics

I enjoyed painting this one.  I mixed burnt sienna, cadmium orange and transparent yellow to create the tawny orange colour for the head feathers. Olive Warblers are about 13 - 14 cm long and found from Southern Arizona and New Mexico in the USA, south to Mexico and Nicaragua. 

Olive Warbler 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.

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Superb Fairy Wren in acrylics

I have had this one printed out for a while to paint.  I went and bought a tube of phthalo blue acrylic paint - makes painting the feathers a lot easier. I love painting the little wrens so I am also planning on painting two more but  in oils - one will be another superb fairy wren and the other will be mallee emu-wren. 

Superb Fairy Wren measures 6 x 4 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches Watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Wayne Butterworth for the reference photo.

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Golden Whistler in acrylics

This was my second time painting this one.  I was not happy with the background colour that I used first time round so ended up starting again. I am rather pleased how it turned out in the end.  Australian Golden Whistler have a beautiful whistled song and can be found around Australia (except in Northern Territory).

Golden Whistler measures 4 x 6 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Archers watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Patrick Kavanagh for the reference photo.
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Red Browed Finch ACEO in acrylics

These birds can be found on east coast of Australia and are 11 - 12 cm long. I haven't seen them in my area but when visiting Ballandean, Qld a few years ago, I come across them - just never got any good reference photo though.

Red Browed Finch measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Archers watercolour paper.

Many thanks to James Niland for the reference photo.

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Cottage by the Sea in acrylics

I have had this one printed out for ages to paint and decided to paint it today.  Changed it a bit to the reference photo by adding the flowers down the right hand side of the road.  I am rather pleased how it turned out in the end.  I actually prefer painting with acrylics on paper compared to gessobord / canvas - the paint seems to behave differently on paper.

Cottage by the Sea measures 7 x 5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Nicola B for the reference photo.

Spring Fields ACEO acrylic painting

This is my spring version of the scene that I posted yesterday.  I will have to think about how to paint a summer and winter version.

Spring Fields ACEO measures 3.5 x 2.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Archers Watercolour paper.

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Many thanks to Steve Lyddon for the reference photo.

Stone Cottage ACEO in acrylics

I am rather pleased how this one turned out.  I painted it on the rough watercolour paper to give the cottage a bit of texture. It was fun painting the flowers.  I enjoy painting little cottage scenes so will have go looking for some more reference photos.

Stone Cottage measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm rough Arches watercolour paper.

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Many thanks to Gail Johnson for the reference photo.

Autumn Fields ACEO in acrylics

I changed this one a little bit when compared to the reference photo - decided to paint it in the autumn colours.  Much more colourful.  I might also paint a spring version of this scene as I like the setting.

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

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Many thanks to Steve Lyddon for the reference photo.

Kookaburra ACEO in acrylics

I  have been wanting to paint a kookaburra for a while. I decided to paint the aceo one first - I have another one lined up but that one will be a 7 x 5 inch.  I actually saw one the other day sitting on top of the street light.  I often hear them in the early morning as they have a very recognisable laughing call.  The kookaburra belongs to the kingfisher family and range from 28 - 42 cm in length.

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

Many thanks to Wayne Butterworth for the reference photo.

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Red Capped Robin ACEO in acrylics

I love painting these little robins.  They only measure 10.5 x 12.5 cm in length.  I will have to paint another one but in a larger format - will have to look for another reference photo that I can use.

Red Capped Robin 2 measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is painted on 300gsm smooth Arches watercolour paper.

Many thanks to Ron Knight for the reference photo.

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