As you can see from the photo above, the water was a very dark blue colour, however this wasn’t going to fit with the light theme of my exhibition. I decided that a more pastel approach would be more fitting.

Not having much experience in painting water I thought that’s a good place to start. After I placed plenty of water on the paper I then added the tiniest amount of colour to create the water ripples.

Now focusing on the beak I also had to continue using a pastel pallet to show the almost transparent bill of Peter.

Next I painted the eye, head and back of neck, which was a cross between feathers and fluff.

Now Peter had a little character, I started working on his black and white wing feathers. The black ones were not too much trouble as its easy to add a little colour and a few highlights. White feathers are so much harder to paint, as adding the wrong colour can make the feathers look a rainbow. Also too much grey or brown can make the feathers look dirty and not very pleasing to the eyes.

Having Peter swimming on the water I could now work on the reflections, I call this grounding your subject or placing them in the environment. I’m sure there is a more technical name for it.

Sorry, had to pause for a spider walking across my laptop, blogging outdoors certainly has its drawbacks that’s for sure. I have beautiful views over another dam, with a rather strong but warm wind. Above me is a wasp building a nest and last week I saw a foot long python in the toilet block. No it not me bragging, it really was a spotted python identified by my snake loving cousin Chris.

Now I’ve lost track of the spider, which I’m sure its going to make an appearance later when I least expect it.

I’ve also befriended a magpie which seem to like some of my breakfast that was left unattended while I was selling greeting cards to a neighbour camped next to me.

So back to the painting, I usually finish 98% of what I’m painting on a night time, take a photo and go to sleep. In the morning with fresh eyes I will then give the painting a once over and make some final touchups finishing by sign my name CHRIS.

Peter Pelican was a quick painting with a limited pallet mainly black and white. The detailed parts of this painting been the beak and head which consumed most of my time.