Common Redpoll Sketch
Winter never seems quite as long if the redpolls decide to come this far south in Michigan.
Blue-tipped Dancer Damselfly Step-by-Step
Damselflies have long been a favorite insect of mine. I remember first seeing them when I was very young. I thought they looked like little jewels. I’d see different varieties when we’d go to a nearby lake. All the damselflies, … Continued
Ebony Jewelwing Sketch
Over the years I’ve done a few paintings of these spectacular, yet common broad-winged damselflies. Its fun to watch these efficient predators eating mosquitoes along a stream in the woods. Admittedly they don’t look the same with out the black … Continued
Bay-breasted Warbler Step-by-Step
Any day I see a bay-breasted warbler is a great one. This painting is based on photos of a cooperative male we found at Metzger marsh, at Crane Creek, OH. That is a phenomenal place to see migrant warblers … Continued
Calico Pennant Dragonfly Sketch
Last summer I took hundreds of photos of dragonflies. This calico pennant was a real beauty. I found it in the field behind our house sitting on some common dock. On nice mornings, the kids and I would head over … Continued
Female Forktail Damselfly Step-by-Step
Forktail damselflies can be hard to tell apart in the field. The males have some diagnostic features making identification a little easier. Discerning the species of a female forktail is well beyond my abilities of identification. Nonetheless, they are beautiful … Continued
Pileated Woodpecker Step-by-Step
Although I did this painting few years ago, I scanned it in as it was being painted, so I thought it would be worth sharing as a “work in progress” series. PIleated woodpeckers lived in the woods around our house … Continued
Brown-headed Cowbird Sketch
Birders are never to happy to see brown-headed cowbirds. They are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. Its not uncommon to see a tiny common yellow-throat warbler trying to feed an enormous baby cowbird almost … Continued
Ruby Meadowhawk Dragonfly Step-by-step
I’ve been painting a lot of dragonflies lately. Lots of great color to play with. Here is the latest, a step-by-step through the process of painting a male ruby meadowhawk. These are really cooperative insects… so much so that my … Continued
Airbrushes vs. Washes
I have spent a lot of time using airbrushes and really loved them for a long time. If you want a perfectly smooth background or soft gradient, they are hard to beat. They excel at very soft and very hard … Continued