HAWK FEATHER

 

We have moved once again and now my studio is full of boxes! Unfortunately this has hampered any serious painting that was planned but I did find some time to complete this study of a hawk's primary feather. I believe it is from a Red-tailed Hawk (I do see a few soaring around here from time to time) and I remember doing a similar painting to this one many years ago. Surprised at how long it was, I decided to paint this beautiful feather life size and the study on the right is of the top, the one on the left is looking from the trailing edge showing not just how it is curved longitudinally but also how it twists along its length. The barring extends from tip to base but the underside is quite a bit lighter than the top. Amazing, all of these exquisite details in a single feather! Size is about 14 x 11 inches.

MOTH STUDY

 

I recently finished this study of a moth I found out in the open near were we were staying. I picked it up and it sat on my hand while I gathered some reference of it. After I had finished a drawing, I left it in the seclusion of a thick bush to spend the rest of the day hidden from predators. Hopefully it survived, mated and was able to continue its life cycle. This watercolor was done in my sketchbook - size is about 5 x 4 inches (13 x 10 cm).

KILLDEER STUDIES

 

I have been continuing work on the Killdeer family that was present at the nearby wetlands. Mostly this has been in the form of sketches but also some watercolors. I plan on showing their lifecycle from nest through to adult as shown here. During hot weather, birds appear much slimmer than at other times due to their feathers being compressed and held close to their bodies to help with cooling. Some birds will pant when it is unusually hot (and also when they are stressed). This study is of an alert bird as it has young nearby. I find it is important for me as an artist to paint the individual. Similar to portrait painting where one tries to capture the characteristic and likeness of the sitter, in turn I try to capture the same in any bird that I paint.

This painting is of an almost fully-grown immature. Killdeers usually lay a clutch of 4 eggs but I could only find one youngster that had grown up. The others could have been hidden in the grassy marshland nearby or perhaps they were predated. Anyway, I noted how much plainer its plumage was compared to the adults and the bill perhaps not quite full size yet. So far, I have enjoyed trying to capture the details of this family. And in doing so have been able to share something of their life through my observations and studies. Sizes of each are about 5 x 8 in (13 x 20 cm).

WINTER PLANT STUDIES

 

While it is still late summer here in my part of the woods, I am already thinking ahead to the fall and to winter.  After the bright colors of autumn, there isn't usually much color around during winter so I look for more subtle color combinations, and seek out things I wouldn't usually find at other times of the year. Oak leaves though can be found all year long and the browned leaves are usually the last to fall. In this study I tried to capture the feeling of them in a simple painting.

I found these seed heads along the waters edge but have no idea what plant they are from! I just liked their intricate stubby surfaces. They look a little like English plane tree seeds but these are covered with hard stubs that resist breaking apart. Both these watercolors done in my sketchbook, size about 12 x 9 inches ( 30 x 23 cm).

KILLDEER OVER THE MARSH

 

I have been doing a series of summer paintings. Green is a color that I am finally becoming comfortable with and in this painting, I wanted to capture not just the colors of the day but the feeling of high Summer. I wrote earlier of a visit to the wetlands nearby where a Killdeer that was near the boardwalk flushed and flew to another part of the marsh. That memory is still with me today and was one of the factors which led to the idea of this painting. Size is 8 x 10 in, oil on canvas.

BALD EAGLE STUDIES II

 

Some time ago, I saw this eagle in a transitional plumage where the bird  was losing its brownish head feathers and gaining the pure white ones of an adult. This seemed somehow very important to me so I did a few studies trying to capture it. Over some months, I managed to see the same bird a few more times so was able to add a little to my knowledge of these very impressive birds.

Most of the eagles I saw were in flight and they usually held their wings level when soaring - as in this painting. Interestingly, the younger birds (sub adults) have broader wings than the adults and I tried to capture this in some of my other studies. I still have a few more on the go and will hopefully finish them off soon. Both these watercolors are about 5 x 7 in (13 x 18 cm).

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER

 

I don't see these birds very often especially in the summer when they seem to be more secretive while nesting and bringing up their young. I was fortunate to have a sapsucker visit quite regularly a few years ago when it would feed from a pine next to the house (they drill a series of holes which fill up with sap and occasionally insects get caught in there too). It was quite shy though and I never even got a photo of it. Fortunately I saw one last year and was able to get some better reference. This is the first time I have painted this species so it was a process of discovery as I am still not that familiar with it. Watercolor on Grumbacher paper - size is 12 x 9 in ( 30 x 23cm)