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
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
Black-throated Green Warblers are great little birds. Here in Lansing we see them for a few weeks in the spring and fall as they migrate through. The southern edge of their breeding range starts not far from here but excludes … Continued
Common Gallinules are truly interesting birds, and my appreciation for them began when I saw them for the first time in Florida in my 20s. Since then I’ve seen them in many states and always enjoy getting a peek at … Continued
If you’ve ever encountered a Common Yellowthroat, you know they’re fantastic little warblers. The males sport an absolutely perfect bandit mask, and maybe it’s just me, but I think pretty much every animal with one of those looks ten times … Continued
I’ve painted Northern Cardinals a number of times but have only rendered a female once before, as part of a pair. The males are WAY easier to paint because they lack the subtle color shifts found in the females. To … Continued
What is more exciting than a Blackburnian Warbler? Getting a glimpse of these spectacular birds is always inspiring. Because they favor the tops of trees, my most common view tends to be looking straight up at their bellies. Indeed, this … Continued
Palm Warblers are fun birds. I remember learning how to identify them years ago, not only by their physical appearance and their call, but also their behaviors. They are persistent tail pumpers, which is an endearing habit. It makes them … Continued