Chris Osborne Art 
Family Tree
The Story Behind the Painting
While camping at Wuruma Dam I came across a family of double bared finches in a small tree hence the name. I have had trouble photographing them in the past as they are very small and super quick, just as you get the camera focused there off again. However this time there was about ten double barred finches in a single tree enabling me to capture four of them sitting together, pruning themselves.
I managed to photograph another double barred finch while house sitting at a friends house in Eidsvold. It jumped up, pulled down the head of the grass seeds enabling it to have a feed, very enlightening to watch.
My Painting Process
I decided to make this painting very monochrome with just a hint of colour on the birds beaks and feet and totally disregard the green foliage on the tree.
So I started off with just a few colours, white, grey and a very light sepia.
I was going to paint the undercoat for all birds and then work on the details later. I total forgot and just started with the details until I finished the painting all but the feet as my photo wasn’t very clear.
As you can see bird number 3 is just an undercoat and the 2nd bird thats floating in mid air is a finished example minus its feet.
Closeup of an almost complete painting using my new birthday brushes.
Last part of the painting was to paint the feet, it was a late night and the next morning I realised that one of the birds didn’t have any feet at all.
One observation I made from this painting and it happed by pure accident is the direction the birds are facing. The branch is growing in the same direction as the bird beak, three to the left and one to the right.
Framed up and ready for my exhibition in September 2022. Surrounded by nature. Click for more details.
Gouache on Canson Paper
For my Black Label collection I use Winsor & Newton Gouache on Black Colourfix Art Spectrum Paper or Black Mi-Teintes Touch Canson Paper.
My painting come from my own experiences that I have experienced and 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
Chris Osborne Art 