Song Bird and a Night Heron (watercolors)

[Bob in SF]

A local Audubon Chapter member kindly asked me to (watercolor) paint a song bird out of my imagination and a more representational rendering of a Black Crowned Night Heron (which is one of my favorite birds); so I obliged; steps:
Drew a quick sketch with a 2H pencil on Arches watercolor paper.
Created the background first to develop the color scheme.
Underpainted tonal renderings of the Song Bird with Schmincke Delft Blue, and used Daniel Smith Payne's grey for the Night Heron.
Color glazed the birds with Daniel Smith watercolors.
Reworked the backgrounds to balance the colors.
Made the frames from some scrap hardwood, and some UV glass.
Cut the mats with a Logan Compact Elite cutter.
Finished the frames with brown paper on the backs, hanging wire, etc.

Spring is near.

Happy Saturday to all - Bob

 

[liljohn1368]

Looks great Bob...

 

[Jim15]

Awesome work.

 

[mark james]

I admire folks who are "artistic" (term used loosely). My brother and I took lessons when we were "Little nippers"; he had some talent and continued. I, well, I did not continue... :redface:

Beautiful artistry Bob! Thanks for sharing.

(As I get slowly better at segmenting/inlays, I have redeemed myself!)

 

[Bob in SF]

Many thanks for the kind words JP, Jim, and Mark!

I find that lathe turning and painting are similar insofar as the eye and tool caress the wood or other turning material, while the eye and brush caress the lines and tones of real and imagined nature (allowing for the difference of 3-4,000 rpm vs 0 rpm).