KINGFISHER 2

Finished the kingfisher.


Look out for that bill, fishes!!

KINGFISHER 1

Started this little guy on my sketchpad with Caran d'Arche watersoluble crayons, then sketched him on Arches 140# coldpress and began with the background color (something light so he could be the star).

COOL DOWN

Something begun to cool us down.



It's been too hot and humid here in Kentucky already this summer.

I lost the photo of this one (when my laptop died) so will have to work up something to make shadows again (or search on the external hard drive for the photo).  

Until then, this one will sit in space.

SCARLET TANAGER FINISHED

Almost finished.  Need to do his eyes, bill, legs, and darken some areas.



Received my Fabriano Artistico 140# cold press paper from Dick Blick so have some full sheets now.

All done. 




What's next?  Something cool for the hot summer days here and around the U.S.  

SCARLET TANAGER

A Scarlet Tanager sketched and colored (again, using just Caran d'Arche crayons) in my Strathmore sketcbook before drawing and painting on watercolor paper.

He's got a little winged critter in his mouth - could be a bee?

This is on a fourth sheet as I'm running out of full sheets of watercolor paper.

(I did place an order so should have some full sheets coming soon.)

PLAYING WITH COLOR

This began as just laying down colors (on a scrap piece of paper - not even sure what it is but not watercolor paper or maybe student grade paper) with Caran d'Ache watersoluble crayons.

Water added to bleed, blend and move the color around.  Done.


I am a Warrior...
or is that Worrier??


Warrior

TOUCANETTE FINISHED

Ready for his eyes, feet and his perch and then done.

Pretty bird :)


The Toucanette from Costa Rica (smaller than a Toucan but a pretty good sized bill on him.)

Love the blue, violet and yellow bill and face area.

TOUCANETTE

A little toucanette from Costa Rica, also begun with sketching and color in my Strathmore sketchbook before drawing and putting paint to Arches 140# cold press paper.

A little more color in the background of this one as a starting point.








Thought this was going to look stiff, too, so I went in with a scrubber brush and softened the edges before painting the bird.

I think this will look better once the bird gets his colors in.

MOTMOTS SOFTENED

I did not like the hard edges on the Motmot painting, so I returned to it to soften the edges, using a scrubber brush.  I softened the edges, then dropped in more pigment.  Not great but I had nothing to lose with this one.

The next one is much better - you'll see.

MOTMOTS

Adding a little color to the Motmot painting...

And a little bit more...



Finished, but looking a bit stiff.  I think I'd do better by not doing the background as a whole and then painting the birds but bleeding and blending as I go along, leaving some white spaces in the background.  

I may try this one again.  But I'm running out of paper - need to place an art supply order!!

COLORFUL RETURN

After a short break and some quiet time - I also did some painting.  Back now and have some things to share.  Hope you like them.


Before painting, I did a sketch in my Strathmore sketchbook, then added color with Caran d'Ache watersoluble crayons to get me primed for the drawing and painting on watercolor paper (Arches 140# cold press).  

Here's the initial sketch and color of the Turquoise Crested Motmot (from Costa Rica).

And here's the painting, starting with the drawing on Arches 140# cold press paper (half sheet), the laying in the background using Daniel Smith Shadow Violet (one of my favorite background pigments).