Kingfisher



















A kingfisher painted from a photograph taken in Australia -sadly these colourful birds are not common around Lake Geneva! I think I may have to accept my fate and give in to the fact that my precise style is going to take over with the watercolours too. This was intended to be a sketch and became much more realistic than I was aiming for!

I would have thought it easier to make things look realistic with pencils but doing this little watercolour sketch made me think twice about that. I'm not sure that I could have got those same dark values with pencil without a lot of layering. On the head I used Sennelier's Ivory Black which seemed to go on very dark in one layer - not wishy washy like some blacks can be. On the wings, I used Cobolt Blue, Indigo and Ivory Black and on the underside, a little Yellow Ochre and Cadmium Yellow Orange.

The main lesson I learned from this one was that I need to plan my painting more carefully and work out beforehand what effect I'm going for and how to achieve it to save time in the long run. Masking fluid was used for the eye and the lights on the feathers but a little more care on the latter would have saved me having to work on those to make them less obvious. On the positive side though, I have learned how much patience is needed and how important it is to wait between layers and leave things alone until absolutely dry. Even - and especially - when things go wrong!

Comments

Teri said…
It is absolutely fabulous! Yes, it has your perfectionist touch all over it. Love the composition and the colors.
As always, a lovely rendering. It would seem you have a talent with the paints too, and I especially enjoyed your observations about how "sketching" with paint differs from sketching with pencil. Since I've been pairing with June in the challenge, I increasingly think she has the easier job with her paints than I have with my textiles. It's tempting to try more with them.
Felicity Grace said…
Thanks so much, Teri!

Thanks Sheila! Yes, I felt the same with quilting too, that certain things were so much easier with a pencil or brush. They have their own unique challenges which were sometimes quite frustrating. There is no harm in getting out the paints and doing both! I'd be very interested to see how you got on!
Alison Staite said…
Hi Felicity - This is tremendous. Your new determination to find your style in this medium is really showing. Very impressed!
Unknown said…
I was really interested to see you working in watercolours, the last time I came here it was portraits in CPs. Have your tried gouache? Lovely kingfisher :)
Janet Pantry said…
Oh this is a lovely painting Felicity, so simple and elegant. As others have said, your talent and precise 'style' with the pencils has translated across to brushwork too. What's this about being 'rubbish' at backgrounds? You have set this bird within its context just right (IMHO). Less is more so they say! I love it!
Carolina said…
Hi Felicity,
This is gorgeous, you are mastering watercolors already...
About the style, it's really hard to change the way we express ourselves, painting included ;)
I just hope you don't change it, you do wonders in realism.
Big hug,
Carolina
I think it looks wonderful!
Love every bit of the colours, very realistic
Jana Bouc said…
Wow! I was totally blown away when I opened your page and saw this. Absolutely brilliant work!
Felicity Grace said…
Thanks so much everyone, I really appreciate it!

Chrissy, I have some Schmincke gouache colours and I've played with them a few times but I mainly end up mixing mud! I think my primaries may not be right. Not sure I like it, but maybe with more practice I'll warm to using it.
Wusel's... said…
I love this one. I love birds and it's a wonderful painting. Simply perfect!

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