(Ooh, I was just now about to hit 'Publish' and link up and was thrilled to bits to see my very own Cosy Punk Cardinal smiling out from PPF's page as this week's feature! He was chosen by a random number generator, and I can tell he's thrilled too... right down to his little purple scarf. Thank you Eva and Kristin)
For this week's entry, I finished an acrylic I'd started back in July 2013.
Here it is, finished a couple of hours ago... my version of one of the sweetest little honeyeaters we have in the SE of Australia - the Eastern Spinebill:
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| He's sitting amongst the constantly blooming Grevillea - one of his favourite sources of nectar, and all in our backyard. |
Some progress pics:
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| July 2013... Using watered down yellow ochre acrylic, I paint/sketched the bones of the scene on to a 20.3 x 25.4cm (8" x 10") canvas panel. |
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| Oh, how much easier it would've been if I'd only done the background first !! Once that had been sorted, I then applied the first layer of colours. That was that for a while. |
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| November 2013... Changed my mind about the background colour and rubbed some random greenish tinges lightly in with a rag. Then I got on with some details. Back into the cupboard for, as it happened, over 3 years! |
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| Today... started early this morning. More background shrubbery and grevilles (my word) needed. I used some pastel pencils, acrylics and ink pen and got stuck in. I experimented a lot, not having used pastels much, I was heavy handed so then gently rubbed the harsh lines out with a kneadable eraser. Made up a watery mix of the colours I thought I'd used back in 2013 and kind of went a bit abstracty. I was then happy to call this one finished! |
Here's a photo of an Eastern Spinebill in our Grevillea - my inspiration.
They're a quick and plucky little bird and deserve every bit of nectar they get in between dodging the Wattlebirds!
~ Thank you so much for visiting my blog ~
~ Have a great weekend. Lots of laughs, fun and, most of all, peace ~
Linking to:
You just linked before me your beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful picture, you have succeeded very well!
Yes, Jutta, we must've been linking at the exact same time because it disappeared, came back again lol! Amazing to think of how this internet works isn't it!!
DeleteThank you, I appreciate your lovely comment. Happy PPF!
What a sweet bird. You succeeded to capture greatly its beauty and delicacy.
ReplyDeleteHappy PPF ♥
Thank you so much Sirkkis, I really appreciate your thoughts. Cheers :D)
DeleteLove your wonderful bird painting and photo, and HUGE congrats on being featured this week with your lovely punky bird. Have a great weekend, and happy PPF Special Sue-day! Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteThank you Valerie, and oh that's such a sweet thing to say! Cheerio for now :D)
DeleteIt's gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Clare :D)
DeleteThat really is a lovely bird.
ReplyDeleteI love your painting.
Enjoy Friday and have a good weekend
All the best Jan
Many thanks to you Jan, thank you for visiting :D)
DeleteSo lovely to see you featured. Your art is so inspiring.
ReplyDeleteThank you Nicole, it was a fun surprise and, as with your beautiful comment, I'm thrilled :D)
DeleteLovely bird! Like your art very much!
ReplyDeleteThey only visit for a short time Birgitta, but we're sure they bred in our trees this year. Yes, they're lovely and they give us so much pleasure.
DeleteThank you kindly for your visit :D)
Congratulations on being featured by Eva and Kristin... your artwork is beautiful and this particular post, artwork and photos has brought back lovely memories of my time living in Melbourne. Have a wonderful weekend. Happy PPF to you
ReplyDeleteSo kind of you Neesie, many thanks.
DeleteI'm really glad those memories were brought back too. Also very happy that you enjoyed your time over here. Cheerio now :D)
What a sweet painting and congratulations on being the featured artist. Happy PPF
ReplyDeleteThank you very kindly Susan - I'm so enjoying being a member of PPF :D)
DeleteLovely colors! Have a nice weekend
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Anne :D) Enjoy yours as well!
DeleteYour painting is absolutely gorgeous, Sue, and your header is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteReally appreciate your thoughts Linda... thank you :D)
DeleteThis is beautiful! I have the same trouble with doing backgrounds first, could be a lack of patience.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, oh yes, lack of patience ... definitely Christine. I get all excited and I want to get that first sketch in ;D) Sound familiar? lol.
DeleteThanks for your visit.. cheers now.
ooooh sue, this is a beauty - this bird resembles a hummingbird!!! i am happy to hear of punks great success, he deserved it - he really rocked it ;)
ReplyDeleteAww Debbie, thank you ... I'm thrilled to have finally finished it too.
DeleteYes, the tinyness and the long thing beak is similar. They're very quick too.
Punkie is just about jumping out of his feathers he's so happy. Hugs xx
*thin ... ha ha... thin beak!!
DeleteSo cute! Thanks or sharing wip pics. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks NatashaMay... and my pleasure.
Deleteha ha, I'm not too quick, (oldie but young in heart) .. had to think ?wip ... oh yeah.. work in progress - I love it wip, cool!!
Cheers and thanks for your visit :D)
Congrats on being cover girl this week at PPF! Love that cardinal. Really lovely painting of the Spinebill. It must be fun to watch this bird in person! You really have a knack for bird painting. Happy PPF Sue!
ReplyDeleteHi Linda ... cover girl - yay, I like that :D) Thanks, it was real good seeing him staring out at me over on PPF.
DeleteGlad you enjoyed the Spinebill too. Yes, it's lovely to watch them, their wings make a real little 'turbo' kind of sound which is very distinctive so even if we missed seeing them properly (because they're so quick)we know it was them by their wing sound.
Appreciate your kind comments Linda, thank you :D)
The finished picture almost reminds me of some of those handpainted Chinoiserie wallpapers from the 18th century that you see in some old mansions. Wouldn't it be nice to have a whole wall like that?
ReplyDeleteIt's really something to see my painting through others' eyes, thanks Jenny - I googled chinoiserie wallpapers and yes I feel really drawn to that style (I often look at Vanessa Cooper's art). I appreciate your thoughts very much.
Delete(p.s. as a little by-the-way, my hubby and I sometimes read the comments together and when we came to yours, I remarked how lovely it might just be to see it on the whole wall as you suggest. MD says... "well, photocopy the picture 1,000 times or so and join them all up on the wall!" Cool eh ;D) )
Congrats on being the featured artist of the week. A thrill even when it's chosen by a random generator :) Love the bird painting and it was great seeing the progress shots over the years. I have lots of projects like that :) Perhaps I should drag some out this month :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol... and yes, definitely - a big thrill. We are each so attached emotionally to our artwork aren't we.
DeleteNot seeing something for a while can absolutely spark of new enthusiasm... one advantage to getting older (for me) is that I can totally forget what's in my cupboard ha ha :D) Cheers now and thanks for commenting.
Love that beak! How fun you finished something that you started in 2013! Congrats on being the featured artist. I recognized your punk cardinal right away :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Denthe.. heh heh, and it gets used to advantage too!
DeleteThanks so much, it was lovely to finally sign off on it.
I'm really tickled pink at Punkie being featured like that - cheers! :D)
Darling little bird! I'm so glad you pulled it out from hiding and finished it. I think it is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAw, many thanks Faye - that's so nice :D)
DeleteWhat a gorgeous painting...it would make a fabulous fabric!! I could see it on pillows or a bedspread!! Congratulations being featured...that cardinal is so adorable too!!
ReplyDeleteHugs Giggles
Fabulous! How cool would that be! A lovely thought for which I thank you. Alas, I used to do pillows etc on Redbubble but it all got too complicated editing-wise. It caused my old synapses to fire a bit too much ;D)
DeleteCheerio for now and have a great Sunday!
Birds are an inspiration. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThanks heaps Sharon - lovely to see you :D)
DeleteSharon, that brightly coloured bus on your blog post really caught my eye - and then the rest of your Best of Nicaragua photos all were so great. I couldn't see how to comment, so am doing it here! Cheers :D)
DeleteIt's a wonderful painting! Love all of the flowers and the sweet, little bird :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Sal, I do appreciate your thoughts :D)
DeleteYou have the best birds and they're even better in your paintings. Wonderful work. It's fun seeing the progress photos .
ReplyDeleteWe do Sallie - totally prejudiced lol ;D)
DeleteThanks so much, and I'm glad I took those progress shots - cheers!
Such a sweet bird! Your painting does him justice, and I also like all the flowers that you have included. This is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Carola :D)
DeleteDearest Sue; First of all, Congratulations that your Cosy Punk Cardinal was chosen for week's feature. I was happy to see your gorgeous work in the link's blog♫♫♫
ReplyDeleteOh, another exotic birdie♪ ADORABLE Eastern Spinebill with long beak, naturally it's a honey eater(♡^.^♡) Your artwork is FABULOUS, I can easily guess how hard it must be putting imagination into real work☆☆☆
Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend, xoxo Miyako*
Thank you kindly Dear Miyako :D) I'm really happy that you enjoy the sweet Eastern Spinebill, and my painting. Lovely to see you again. Cheerio for now and have a week filled with lots of good things xx
DeleteCongratulations on having your Cosy Punk Cardinal chosen as a featured painting, Sue! It is a grand painting! Wow, I love your Spinebill painting, and, I know you're now pleased with the finished product. Sometimes we do have to put a project on the back burner until a later date, then it turns out better than we thought it would. A great post, I enjoy seeing your works in progress. Have a wonderful week! ♥
ReplyDeleteThanking you Dear Suzanne, it's been lovely!
DeleteYes, funny how the brain works - rather than painting over it I ended up having a nice time finishing it. Lovely to have you visit, I hope all's been well with you. Cheers now :D)xx
I really should take lessons or something!!!
ReplyDelete(ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!
Hi Jenn, thanks for popping over. If you feel the urge then that's what you should do! Have fun :D)
DeleteWhat a beautiful painting! I love seeing your work in progress views too...
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Lisa :D)
DeletePretty, pretty, pretty, the Eastern Spinebill is so beautiful, I love it.
ReplyDeleteThat's lovely, thank you Bob! :D)
DeleteWhat a sweet little bird! Pretty flowers, too!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Cindy :D)
DeleteWow Sue! Your artwork is amazing! So beautiful! Congrats on your feature! Love your cardinal! Happy PPF :)
ReplyDeleteHello Mona, I appreciate your words... thank you :D)
DeleteYour painting is absolutely beautiful Sue, I love it and the process, so interesting. Your photo is delightful too. Thanks for sharing this with us, and also for visiting my blog :)
ReplyDeleteAlso meant to say congratulations on being featured:)
DeleteThanks very much Denise - the Eastern Spinebill always bring an extra bit of delight when they visit! Cheers now :D)
DeleteWhat a lovely little bird, and he looks so much happier surrounded with more greenery and flowers.
ReplyDeleteHe does Tracy, thank you - that's more often how we see them, but so difficult to photograph :D)
DeleteYour Spinebill turned out so lovely ! What a delightful piece of art
ReplyDeleteHappy PPF
Thanks very much Emma - I'm happy you like it, and appreciate your visit :D)
DeleteCongrats on being feature on PPF, Sue! You deserve to be recognized for your wonderful bird paintings. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's lovely, thank you Katie :D)
DeleteEven though you stowed the painting away for over three years, I'm so glad you rediscovered it and added the finishing touches. You've captured the Eastern Spinebill in his preferred habitat beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThat's really something, thanks Vicki. I have to say it was good to finally finish this one - nearly did a paint over but I'm a bit stubborn. We all put so much work into our paintings don't we.
Delete