Since I’ve moved further away from the coast and into a more remote area, the bird species has changed. I am seeing a range of new birds that I didn’t get in the blue mountains of NSW.
This little Pardalote was busy building it’s nest or making home improvements maybe for a larger family, I’m not sure but it was wonderful to watch.
The Pardalote has decide to make a home in my veggie garden the entrance is the small hole in the centre of the tub. I’m always worried whenever I water the garden wether I’m flooding it’s home and will it be plotting revenge on me some day.
The final photograph that I chose of the Pardalote was sitting on the washing line, I however wanted to paint something a little more natural than a thin strand of rope. I gathered a collection of sticks chose one and placed it on my drawing table, I now had a replacement for the washing line.
I was giving an out of focus background another go as I’m liking the affect more than just plain white background.
I was not worried about the paint over lapping the bird because most colours of Gouache are opaque and I knew the background would easily be covered up once I started painting.
I used a very thin layer of paint on saturated paper and lifted some highlights off with a paper towel.
Blocking in areas of colour and just getting a general feeling for the direction of the feathers.
I always like the start with the eyes or beak and once you put a little white dot in the eyes it just seems to make them come alive. This one had some nice definitions in the legs and feet, which I always like painting.
Now time to start adding lots of feathers and make the bird look a little more rounded by painting shadows under the belly and wings.
Next I started to paint the little bits of curled bark strands that the pardalote was using in its home renovations. Once this was completed I started painting the shadows on its belly.
Finally I painted the little stick that was sitting on my desk, rather than the rope in the photo. I used some blu-tack to stick it to a book so I could get the right angle to create a shadow in the same direction that was on the pardalote.
They make a beautiful little quick chirp-chirp and can be heard most of the day while I paint.
I use Winsor & Newton Gouache on Arches France Watercolour Paper, 300g Cold Pressed.
My painting come from my own experiences that I have photographed while traveling. By reading this blog, you as a viewer can now hear The Story Behind the Painting. Where, when, what was happening while I was photographing the wildlife.
If you want more details about my adventures checkout my travel blog website www.ChrisOsborneAdventures.wordpress.com
Enjoy, Chris Osborne
It was nice to sit down and catch up on your blogs, love all the different birds you make me very proud x
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Thank you, been very busy today so probably won’t have any more posted for a few days.
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