My reference for this small painting was a photograph given to me by an elderly neighbour who loved taking pictures of garden birds. I shall be giving this as a gift to a lady who is 90 years young today.
Category Archives: Birds
New #Bird #Painting – House #Sparrows
#Art for Art’s Sake
Sometimes, or maybe even often, I produce pieces of work and dismiss them. I don’t mean to, I do not think hard about this at all, it just happens. These pieces surface at times, perhaps when an exhibition is about to begin and I start gathering things together.
My “Stepping Crane” is such a piece, having been exhibited at the Amberley Inn on our “Fish and Ships” PV night and I am pleased to say it is shortly on its’ way to a new home.
Stepping Crane, Original SOLD
#Goshawk #Kestrel & #Harris’ #Hawk
Another selection of beautiful birds of prey. The American Kestrel will land on your head.
The action shots are out of focus but still valuable reference material.
The Goshawk was the biggest of the hawks.
American Kestrel
American Kestrel
Harris’ Hawk
Goshawk
Peregrine cross
Noisy Goshawk
Owls and Hawks
More pics from my visit to the Falconry Centre
Peregrine Falcon
Goshawk
Goshawk
Barn Owl
Barn Owl
Eurasion eagle owl
Eurasian Eagle Owl
#Hawk & #Buzzard Photos
Invaluable reference photos which I took at the Falconry Centre near Gloucester yesterday. These are the Harris’s Hawk and the Red Tailed Buzzard.
Harris’s Hawk
Harris’s Hawk
Harris’s Hawk running
Red Tailed Buzzard
Red Tailed Buzzard
#Cranes & #Terns Chinese Style (#Painting!)
My first attempts at using a Chinese Brush in the traditional manner.
From Nuthatch to Peregrine – Birds for Art
Having mainly focused on birds this year with my painting I fancied engaging more directly with my subject matter by trying out some bird watching.
Symonds Yat in Gloucestershire is known to have a successful breeding pair of Peregrine falcons.
The first reward for me was not seeing a Peregrine but instead two Nuthatches up close and snapping some half decent photos.
Luckily for me some time later I happened to have in sight the take-off point from which one of the Peregrine Falcons took to the wing and soared out across the Wye Valley below us. There was a nice atmosphere between the regular birdwatchers who enthusiastically share information. It was nice to get there early before the throng of tourists and walkers poured in nearer to lunchtime, and needless to say that is when I snuck away.
Peregrine photo below is courtesy of Pixabay images.
When is a Painting Finished?
So When is a Painting Actually Finished?
When it has made it to the bin? Hopefully not.
I have ready many tips on this and this one sums it up in a great way for me.
Artist Bryan Evans states in The Artist that
“…a painting is finished when it’s not as good as it just was, and is unlikely to get any better.”
Easy to say;, but hard to (cockadoodle) do!
Bird Crazy – Hawks and Roosters
All sorts of painting ideas currently on the go. These birds have attitude!
WIP Birds
#Rook & #Wagtail
Sandwich hunter Rook from Dartmoor.
Stumpy the Pied Wagtail, who takes half-board at the Hengrove Park Leisure Centre.
Dartmoor #Rook Painting
Rooks hang around the parking spots on Dartmoor, making cheeky chirpy noises at the visitors in the hope of some sandwich crumbs….
Rainy Day Bird Feeder: #Blackcap Painting
Bingo! Birds are arriving at my feeders today. I espied a Blackcap on the bush as he was pecking at the fat ball with such a cute hair do! 
Bird Feeder : Peanuts for the Great Tit
I wonder often how to anchor my art ideas down. There is so much to choose from when it comes to making a picture .But at the start of this year my paint sketches have the anchor that is my own experience in a given day.
I set up a lovely looking bird feeding stand in the summer, only to solemnly and regularly dump the rejected rotting food in the bin for a fresh supply in the hope that at some point the local bird community might regard my garden as an OK place to feast on sunflower heart seeds, niger seeds, suet balls, and peanuts, it has all been there with no takers.
Finally as the weather cooled to winter some birds have found the bird food acceptable. Although it all still seems a bit sporadic.
The Great Tit has been to the feeder in the tree, so here is a quick painting sketch of a Great Tit to complement my success.
Day of Play #Harris’s #Hawk
Some people say Worcester Sauce when they should say Worcestershire Sauce, some people say Harris Hawk when they should call this bird a Harris’s hawk and has something to do with it being named after an ornithologist called, yes you guessed, Harris.
This was my final painting of my Day of Play using texture in the body of the bird.
Diane Young Artist 