From a quick photo taken out the kitchen window, a mama bluejay feeding a baby. This one shows both of them but not the actual feeding (didn't care that much for that photo as a future painting).
I printed out the photo to 5 x 7 inches and then, taking a half sheet of tracing paper, I drew the image on the tracing paper. Then traced the drawing onto watercolor paper (a half sheet Arches 140# coldpress).
Before I began painting the background, I used Winsor Newton Texture Medium on the branches to give them more oomph.
After that dried, the background was painted.
Although I'm calling this Blue Jays in Spring, we are not really having spring - or just a few hours in between snow squalls. This has been the strangest spring season yet for us and one doesn't know whether to put on a coat, a jacket, or a teeshirt. I guess it could be worse. We are, at least, not having feet of snow dumped on us (like they are in the northern plains). I keep thinking spring will come...but what if it doesn't? I ordered some Heirloom vegetable seeds for my Mom to plant - we may have them late this year as we are still having frost warnings at night. OK, enough complaining. I am lucky in so many ways and looking out on the mini-blizzard of snowflakes is actually very beautiful.
7 comments:
Wow, Rhonda, I look forward to what will come up! Cheers, Sadami
Looking forward to seeing your new painting, Rhonda.
Yes, wacky weather throughout most of the country. And yes, spring will come. It is just hovering over us in Eugene. Guess we'll have to share with you.
Beautiful composition Rhonda. We must be on the same wavelength - again; painting birds!
Rhonda - you are painting a favorite subject of mine. Cannot wait to see the end result. That texture medium sounds interesting. As for the weather - I hear your pain - we had snow here yesterday - nicer today but suppose to have possibly an inch over nite. Spring has certainly been illusive this year. Hope you get to plant those heirloom seeds soon. Hugs!
Thanks, Sadami!
Chris, they are predicting snow showers here tomorrow morning!! It’s April 17th!!!
Thanks, Elizabeth - one can never paint too many birds and your birds on Yupo are stunning!!
Thanks, Debbie. Stay tuned as these two come to life later. The texture medium did make a difference you can see but not overpowering - just added more...texture! Ha ha. The seeds are for my Mom but I think she wants to share with me (and I can hardly keep an aloe alive!)
You might be getting some cold weather but you are fire with the amount of painting that you are getting done! It's taking me a while to catch up there must be sparks coming off your brushes.
It will be interesting to see the effect of the watercolour texture medium. Looking at the last three posts they are all very different in feel but very, very similar in composition - curving and swirling. Is this concious I wonder?
Hope you get some warmer more settled weather soon.
Merci, Lisa :). Curving and swirling seems like a good thing, but I’m not sure it was a conscious choice - you know how that works.
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