Symphony Series: Bald Eagle

I completely forgot to post this painting here.

I finished this Bald Eagle at the beginning of the Summer. :) It was a long time in production. I actually began working on the piece in 2012, but it just kept getting pushed to the back of the ol work-in-progress list. I also have a hen painting that is in the same boat. It was started at the same time as this eagle, and I am going to prioritize it and get it finished by the end of 2013 (here I come holiday break!).

Where I live in Alberta, we have Bald Eagles nesting along the Red Deer River. I see them soaring high in the sky when I go for walks. I wanted to have the same perspective for this painting. I love the contrast of the dark body, white head and tail, and then the bight (and huge) yellow beak and feet.

The reference photo I used was kindly provided by an excellent wildlife photographer from Calgary, Glenn Alexon.
http://www.glennalexon.com

"Bald Eagle Espressiva"
Acrylic on canvas.
60x36 inches.

New Nest Painting

This is the fourth of these nest paintings that I have done. They always take a long time to paint, for their size. It just ends up being a slow process, of building up the texture, creating a three dimensional image with shadows and light, and all the different colours in the straw or twigs or whatever the nest is made of. In the end though, I always really like the way they turn out.

"Northern Mockingbird Nest"
Acrylic on canvas.
10 x 10 inches.
Sold.

Symphony Series / Goldfinch

"American Goldfinch Impromptu"
Acrylic on canvas.
20 x 20 inches.

The newest addition to this series. :) Just finished in Dec 2012.

I need to take a better photo of this painting, but for now it will have to do. Enjoy!

Long Time ... Its Summer!!!

Well I kind of let this blog go the way of the summer holiday. Summer is almost over though (omg only a month left) so I shall be getting back to keep this up. Here is my new bird painting. Its a commission I finished up in July.

 

"The Pretty One"

18 x 24 inches.

Acrylic on canvas.

 

*Click on the image to magnify.*

 

Mini Birds

These two are an unlikely pair, but they are my latest mini bird portraits.

I hope you enjoy them. They will be going up for sale in my Etsy shop, if they dont sell at the Art Show im at this weekend.

- Robert Pheasant
- Ruby Hummingbird

5 x 5 inches each.
Acrylic on massonite board.

Symphony Series / Cedar Waxwings

This is a very large painting, that took a very long time. I am really glad its done and it turned out so well. :)

"Waxwing Rhapsody"
36 x 60 inches.
Acrylic on canvas.

Available at the Bluerock Gallery.

*Click on the image to magnify.*

Symphony Series / Crow

A new bird painting! This one is meant to be a companion piece to the Cardinal I did a little while ago. http://tempeststudios.blogspot.ca/2011/11/symphony-series-cardinal.html

"Crow Nocturn"
20 x 20 inches.
Acrylic on canvas.

For sale at the Bluerock Gallery in Black Diamond, AB.

The In Crowd

More miniature bird portraits.

I always seem to paint a bunch of these during the holidays.

"Max Wing"
"Jack Junco"
and
"Bluebell Jay"

5 x 5 inches each.
Acrylic on massonite board.

These are also available at the Bluerock Gallery. http://www.bluerockgallery.ca/

*Click on the image to magnify.*

Bird Nests

Here I thought I was giving myself an easy chore in these two paintings. Not so much. They were much harder to paint that I first thought.

Lots of layering. Lots of shading. Lots of colour mixing to make them three dimensional. Also, a surprising amount of pre-planning had to take place in what went where. It was a bit frustrating, but the second nest was a tad easier, since I had worked out many of the bugs on the first.

Robin's Eggs / Cedar Waxwing Eggs
10 x 10 inches each.
Acrylic on canvas.

Available for purchase through the Bluerock Gallery in Black Diamond.

Symphony Series / Cardinal

I am now calling my bird paintings "Symphony", because I have used classical music lables in all the titles. :)

This is the newest edition to the series. A sunny day cardinal.

"Cardinal Choral"
20 x 20 inches.
Acrylic on canvas.

It is for sale through the Bluerock Gallery in Black Diamond, Alberta.

*Click on the image to magnify.*

Birds and Feathers

4 of my newest paintings.

These were created as sets. I have more in the works. More birds with feathers, and a few with butterflys. :)

Pheasant and Grouse Pair - "Sir Grouseman" and "Pheasant Present"
Peacock Pair - "Me Sexy" and "Sex Appeal"

5x5 inches each.
Acrylic on recycled massonite board.

They are for sale in my Etsy shop at the moment.
*Click on the images to magnify.*

Swap Atc's / April cont.

Another set for the same Swap as previously mentioned. For this group my colours were restricted to ultramarine/pale blue/yellow/red/pale grey.

-Feline I
-Feline II
-Fowl (rooster)
-Flyer (crow)

Black and White Cards

I like going back to basics sometimes, and just creating an image in strict black and white. These were all created for custom trades, except for the Owls which were just for me. :)
*Click on an image to magnify.*

- The Current Weaver
- Hoot Posse
- Deep Sea Diver

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- Tree Watcher

- Wind of Imagination

- Gryffin

- Alexander, from Where The Wild Things Are.

# 8

I finally finished my Peregrin Falcon. It has been on the easle for a while, but I think the wait was worth it.


"Falcon Allegro"
40 x 40 inches.
$1500.00
For Sale.

*Click on the image to magnify.*

# 6

Yellow Flicker Capriccio

40 x 40 inches.
Acrylic on canvas.

The last touch on this piece were the pink and red "jewels" in the background. This is something I have added in each piece, but in this one it really finished off the whole painting. Sometimes its amazing how a small detail can make a huge difference.


















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Up next ... a Peregrin Falcon.

# 4

This is the second piece in the 'Bird' series. This painting went through a slow build up. After I had "finished" it, and then stared at it for a few weeks, I decided that it wasn't quite finished. The background got a tonal change, and I added the black arrowheads. I'm pretty sure its finished now.

"Magpie Passionatta"
40x40 inches.
Acrylic on canvas.
*Sold*

# 2

This is the first piece in the Bird Series. There will eventually be 6 of them.

"Bluejay Aria"
40 x 40 inches.
*Sold*

This series was inspired by the 'Face Off' series I did as part of the one-a-days. For these birds I wanted to stick to a couple of 'rules'. In keeping with the previous series, they will all have metallic background colours. They will also be compositionally unbalanced. Floating, falling off the edge, that sort of thing.