Eastern Kingbird (7×10-Inch Transparent Watercolor on Arches 140lb HP Paper) I’ve seen Eastern Kingbirds countless times over the years, but this was my first time painting one. I usually encounter them at the edges of fields where they are hunting … Continued
I’ve only painted hummingbirds twice before, and both were commissioned pieces. One featured five males of different species in Arizona and the other two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. All were fun to paint, especially with those with bright metallic feathers! This bird … Continued
I tried a different sort of background on this watercolor. All those dead mangroves and other trees made for a somewhat surreal background for these American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts. I got a lot of photo reference for this painting … Continued
I think I finally found a good use for that block of Arches Cold press Paper. Rather than trying to force it into doing detailed work, which it seems to resent, I’ll use the paper for looser ink and watercolor … Continued
When Your Paper Fights Back: Painting a Royal Tern in Watercolor In my last post, which featured a Laughing Gull, I mentioned that I’d only painted a couple of gulls prior to that, and no terns. I’m happy to report … Continued
Despite painting birds in watercolor for years, I’ve only illustrated two types of gulls! Out of hundreds of pieces of art, that seems crazy. I’ve done a Herring Gull and a few Ring-billed Gulls, which could be renamed the “French … Continued
I’ve had some forced time off the bikes this past month. Usually I spend about nine hours a week on my mountain bikes. Trying to make lemonade out of lemons, and having a bit of extra time, I started doing … Continued
When I was in grad school, I saw my first Black-crowned Night Heron during a trip to Everglades National Park. Until then, I didn’t realize I had been missing out on a spectacularly beautiful bird. You just didn’t run into … Continued
Two shorebirds in a row! That seldom happens for me. I guess it’s less unusual after getting a ton of photos from a trip to Florida this winter. The photos I used for this painting of a winter-plumed Long-billed Dowitcher … Continued
Wilson’s Snipe is an interesting shorebird. In general, birds with mottled feathering like this pose a different sort of challenge to paint. Figuring out the logic to their patterns can lead to some confusion at first, but painting them offers … Continued