Veery Pencil Sketch p73
Who could possibly pick a favorite type of thrush? I love them all. Veery are especially pretty and have a beautiful call to match. If Mozart were a bird, he’d have to be a thrush. Veery have a musical descending … Continued
Male Dimorphic Jumping Spider (Dark Phase) Transparent Watercolor & Time Lapse Video
“My name is Matt, and I like Jumping Spiders.” Typically when people see my photos, sketches or paintings of jumping spiders, I hear the same things: “Yuck!” “The only place I want to see that is on the bottom of my … Continued
Tree Swallow Pencil Sketch p72
Work really picked up for a while, so I fell behind with posting paintings and sketches. I have a back-log of sketches to scan and write up. This is a Tree Swallow from Ottawa NWR in northern Ohio. I can really … Continued
Female Black-throated Blue Warbler Transparent Watercolor & Time Lapse Video
Back to the drafting table! This is a small 7 x 10-inch transparent watercolor of a female Black-throated Blue Warbler. I’ve painted a male before; those bright colors were asking for it. The females, while drab in comparison, are still … Continued
King Vulture 7×10-inch Transparent Watercolor Painting and Time-lapse Video
I finally got around to painting a King Vulture. (!) I’ve been fascinated by these birds for a long time, and this one presented a great challenge for watercolor. Its textures are tremendously varied: glassy eyes, shiny beaks, fluffy feathers, bristly hair-like feathers, wrinkly … Continued
Blue Dasher Dragonfly (5×7-inch Transparent Watercolor): Throwback Thursday
Summer is a great time for dragonflies, damselflies and painting! In my opinion insects really lend themselves well to the small 5×7-inch format. A few years ago I had a lot of fun painting several Odes, the nickname for Odonata, which is the … Continued
Male White-throated Sparrow Painting: Transparent Watercolor & Time-lapse Video
I think that I last painted one of these when I was about 12. It has been on my “To Do” list for quite a while because they are such charming birds. I look forward to the White-throated Sparrows return every spring. … Continued
Male Dark Phase Dimorphic Jumping Spider p69
This Spring has been great in Michigan. Our family keeps a running yard list of new migrants as they arrive. We also keep our eyes peeled for other early migrants and animals coming out of hibernation, like snakes, frogs, toads and … Continued
Throwback Thursday–Blackburnian Warbler on Black Cherry (Transparent Watercolor on 140lb HP Paper 7.5 x 7.5 in)
My wife’s favorite warbler is the Blackburnian. Its hard not to be won over by the beautiful “fire throat.” I’m looking forward to seeing some this spring!
American Robin on Crabapple Tree Painting: Transparent Watercolor & Time-lapse Video
I suppose this is truly a Michigan painting, since it combines our state bird and state flower in one work of art. I really enjoyed working on this project. Robins are common enough to be overlooked by most people, but I try … Continued