Random Project of the Week - Red fox watercolor

I painted a red fox in watercolor recently as part of an online art swap.  I really enjoyed painting this little study and leaning into the softness that can be achieved with watercolor.

This time I experimented with a different technique to transfer my sketch onto the paper.  I photographed my sketch, edited it digitally, then printed it out in a light purple color onto the piece of watercolor paper.  I think this method worked very well for this particular piece.

 

The original pencil sketch (plus notes to myself!).

BIRDTOBER 2024

I finally finished the BIRDTOBER bird art challenge!  BIRDTOBER is an art challenge hosted by @kaylafiskbirds in which artists draw a bird from a list of prompts every day in October.

 

After failing to complete the challenge the past two years I was determined to finish this year.  I decided to do very small ink and watercolor sketches this time.  The size and medium helped me from getting bored as it allowed me to do several at a time, quickly and easily, and I actually enjoyed the process of choosing the species, sketching, inking, then painting all 31.

 

 

THIS YEAR'S PROMPTS

1. Hooked bill
2. Forest dweller
3. Ooo shiny!
4. Red
5. Warbler
6. Adorable
7. Backyard bird

8. Corvid crew

9. Marsh

10. Vagrant

11. Flycatcher

12. Nest

13. Grasslands/prairie

14. Swifts and swallows

15. One word name

16. Eyering

17. Fruit-eater

18. Long-distance migrant

19. Starts with the letter B

20. Elegant

21. Introduced species

22. Beach-bum

23. Grouse/quail

24. Common

25. Precocial

26. Conservation success story

27. Flock

28. Nocturnal

29. Water-lover

30. Secretive

31. Black-and-orange

Eastern Towhee in colored pencil

Getting back into colored pencils this week to test some new art supplies.  I drew this Eastern Towhee on Bristol vellum paper.  This is the first time I've used this paper and I can say it gets my seal of approval!  I already have ideas for more drawings I'd like to use it for.

Random Project of the Week - Bobcat study

This 9" X 6" study is painted in acrylics on watercolor paper.  Thanks to John McKay for letting me use his bobcat photo as reference.  I was immediately inspired when I came across John's photo - I loved the pose and the fall leaves on the ground.  The only thing missing, I thought, was an autumn sunrise.

My 2024 calendar is here!

  After months of sketching, drawing, and painting, my first calendar is finally finished!  I had so much fun creating the 12 watercolor bird illustrations for this calendar. I intentionally chose some species that are perhaps not the first that come to mind when one thinks of New England. I painted each of the species in the habitat and season I associate them with.

 

 

Below are the original 12 paintings.

 

 

 

Thanks to everyone who purchased a copy!!

BIRDTOBER 2023 artwork

Here are the rest of my drawings, paintings, and sketches for this year's BIRDTOBER art challenge.  This year, like last year, I couldn't complete the challenge, but I am glad it gave me some motivation to draw more.

 

1. Spark bird: Eastern Phoebe

Ink and colored pencils

 

2. Duck, duck, or goose: Snow Goose

Watercolor 

3. Long-legged: Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs

Graphite pencil, watercolor, and acrylic paint pen

4. Backyard bird: Tufted Titmouse

Ink

 

 

7. Wren: Marsh Wren

Ink, watercolor, and graphite pencil

9. Yumm bugs! (Insectivore): Common Nighthawks

Acrylics

 

10. Courtship: Black-capped Chickadees

Ink and colored pencils

BIRDTOBER 2023 - Day 6

 BIRDTOBER has begun!  BIRDTOBER is an art challenge hosted by @kaylafiskbirds in which artists draw a bird from a list of prompts every day in October.

 This is my painting for day 6.  The prompt was "camouflage" and I chose to paint a Ruffed Grouse in acrylics.  Ruffed Grouse always seem to see you before you see them!

BIRDTOBER Art Challenge - Week 2

Two weeks into BIRDTOBER and I am already struggling to keep up!  I feel like the quality of my drawings suffered this week due to a lack of motivation, but at least I got it done! 

THIS WEEK'S PROMPTS
8. Mimic
9. Yellow
10. Baby Bird
11. Ocean
12. Unique Beak
13. Forest
14. Free Choice

BIRDTOBER Art Challenge - Week 1

 This month I am taking on the BIRDTOBER challenge!  BIRDTOBER is an art challenge hosted by @kaylafiskbirds in which artists draw a bird from a list of prompts every day in October.

I am working in mixed media for this challenge, specifically watercolors with colored pencils, and most of the bird species I have chosen can be found in my area.  The first week and my first page is done!

 

Thanks to Susan Elliott for the reference photos for the Golden-winged Warbler and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

THIS WEEK'S PROMPTS
1. Last Bird You Saw
2. Blue
3. Woodpecker
4. Swamp/Marsh
5. Locally Threatened
6. Cavity Nester
7. Free Choice

From the Sketchbook - Deer study 13 years later

  I've always wanted to repaint or redraw one of my old pieces, and what better time to do it than on the 10 year anniversary of GSC Artwork?

I chose to paint a deer fawn, an animal I painted way back in 2009 when I was just learning to paint.  Both are done in acrylics in a loose style, both are in sketchbooks, and I even painted the signature with red paint not knowing that I had done the same thing 13 years ago!

From the Sketchbook - Bird drawings on toned paper

 It started as an experiment...I wanted to try something different (as usual) and I ended up randomly deciding on colored pencils on Strathmore Toned Tan paper.  I honestly thought it wouldn't work.  Boy, was I wrong!

Here are the first two pieces I drew, a Red Crossbill and a Black-throated Blue Warbler.

I thought I was done with colored pencils for pieces that require a lot of time and effort...until I discovered this combination!  I had so much fun with the little bird drawings I wanted to do something larger.  So here is my first serious, full-page colored pencil piece since 2014!

Red-shouldered Hawk reference photos by Marv and Sue Elliott used with permission.
Thanks, Sue and Marv!

I also discovered that my electric eraser is a colored pencil game changer.  It's amazing how well it erases colored pencil and it saved my drawing countless times.  And the paper held up surprisingly well to the eraser and the pencils.

Random Project of the Week - Fun blue heron painting

 The idea for this sort of pop art style acrylic painting came to me back in August.  I was asked to create a piece of art that would go with a blue and gray room with shabby chic decor.  I chose a blue and gray bird (of course!) that is native to the area - a Great Blue Heron - and I used large, loose brush strokes throughout the piece.  I think the hint of orange on the heron complements the blue so well.

Below are the marker thumbnail sketches I drew a few months ago.

Chickadee in acrylics

This acrylic painting of a Black-capped Chickadee is done on a 10" X 8" canvas board.  I painted part of this piece during an acrylic painting demo I gave recently.

 And here is "Fluffy," one of the Black-capped Chickadees we've tamed, checking out the painting.  It looks huge compared to a real chickadee!

From the Sketchbook - A couple bird studies

 Back to my normal subject matter!  The American Redstart was done in watercolor and outlined in pen, and the Eastern Bluebird was painted in acrylics.

I'm having so much fun with this mixed media sketchbook.  I love that I can keep my watercolor, acrylic, pencil, and pen studies all in one book.

From the Sketchbook - Giraffe cartoon

This was a very random just-before-bedtime sketch that I decided to make into a finished drawing. I have no idea what made me want to draw a giraffe, but I had a lot of fun doing it. I used Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pens.

 

Random Project of the Week - Tiger study (with new paints!)

I can't remember the last time I painted a tiger. It might have been a decade ago... 😲 Anyway, I used a reference photo I took at a zoo a few years ago to paint this 5" X 5" acrylic study. I used Golden Fluid Acrylics, a paint I'd never used before. Although I had heard these paints are opaque and have a great consistency, I was still surprised when I tried them myself. Looks like I might be switching to Golden in the future!

From the Sketchbook - Horned Larks in pencil

On a recent birding trip I was able to get up close to and photograph some Horned Larks that were foraging with a flock of Snow Buntings on a dairy farm. These are some graphite and colored pencil sketches I created using my photos as reference.

Acrylic painting of a Cedar Waxwing

I started this 5" X 7" painting with the intention of creating a quick painterly study, but soon felt the urge to tighten my brushstrokes and add all the little details. I think I have more fun with these smaller-sized paintings; I don't get overwhelmed as easily and I can finish them in a few hours.

I snapped the reference photo for this painting on a farm that has a large blueberry patch. The Cedar Waxwings were flying in so close to me as I was picking blueberries, it made for a great photo opportunity.

Random Project of the Week - Two bird sketches

I drew a couple birds this past week - a Great Blue Heron in colored pencil and a Bohemian Waxwing in watercolor, both outlined in pen. I discovered that I really like the look of loose outlines done with a small brown Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen, and it's fun to do, too!

 

Random Project of the Week - Flycatcher watercolor

I just finished this painting of one of my favorite birds, the Alder Flycatcher. It is done in watercolors on cotton watercolor paper. This was my second attempt. The first piece ended up in the trash can soon after I started it, which actually doesn't happen very often when I paint. It took me a little while to bring myself to try again.