Orchids and Stripes: A 70’s Throwback in Transparent Watercolor
Through the sieve of time, we tend to remember the real extremes. The horrific or the terrific.
Orchids on Blue Transparent Watercolor and Time-lapse Video
I had so much fun with my last orchid painting that I thought it would be worth revisiting such a diverse and fascinating subject again. This one took a long time to design. I spent days monkeying around with all … Continued
“Orchids” Transparent Watercolor and Time-lapse Video
I haven’t done a purely botanical painting in ages. I think the last one I did was of Fringed Polygala back in 1999! I’m always painting plants as backgrounds for insects and birds, so they aren’t foreign; they just haven’t been … Continued
Early Eastern (Rufous-sided) Towhee Transparent Watercolor and Time-lapse
This painting of an Eastern Towhee is a little unusual. Snow isn’t the first thing I normally associate with this species. For a number of years a male towhee would show up in our yard a few weeks before I’d see … Continued
Fox Sparrow and Frost’s Bolete Transparent Watercolor and Time-lapse
Fox Sparrows are beautiful and entertaining birds. I tend to see them only in the spring and fall, but when I do get a peek at them, I always get excited. They are chunky birds with beautiful color and a fun habit of … Continued
Plum-colored Starling (Violet-backed Starling) Transparent Watercolor and Ink
This bird is a great example of why they use scientific names with a genus and species. It has at least three common names: Violet-backed Starling, Plum-colored Starling and Amethyst Starling. Granted, they are pretty spectacular, so maybe one name … Continued
Red Squirrel Transparent Watercolor Painting and Time Lapse
Red squirrels are just about as cute as it gets for common rodents. Ok, flying squirrels are cuter, but they don’t qualify as common here in central Michigan. When choosing what to draw and paint, I usually follow whatever has my … Continued
Dunlin Transparent Watercolor Painting and Time Lapse
Because of Christmas, New Year’s, two family birthdays and a road trip all within a month’s time, I’m way behind on posting artwork. A Winter Dunlin is the subject of this recent watercolor painting, and it presented a good set of challenges. Here in … Continued
Yellow-crowned Night Heron Transparent Watercolor
I haven’t done a straight “bird portrait” in a while. Instead, I’ve been painting entire birds—each with a portion of its environment serving as part of the subject. I used to paint portraits regularly, but I think they work best on … Continued
Winter Black-bellied Plover Pencil Sketch, Watercolor and Time Lapse
This watercolor painting and pencil sketch of a Black-bellied Plover are from the stockpile of photos taken on last year’s trip to Florida with my brother Ted. The drawing is p84 from the sketchbook. I’m getting dangerously close to finishing … Continued