This Thick-headed Fly seemed like the perfect subject matter. It was a bit unusual for me because I pulled out the gouache paints for a few things late in the painting. Typically I do everything in transparent watercolor.
This painting is being posted out of sequence. That’s the hazard of being behind. After a series of highly designed paintings and several medial animations for clients, I was desperate to get something on the drafting table quickly so I could start painting again. I … Continued
Last year on our annual pilgrimage to Crane Creek, Ohio, one of the big treats was seeing a Great Horned Owlet in its nest cavity and getting photos and video of the little “Furby.” This painting is based on those … Continued
I’m not much for imaginative names for paintings. I tend to go for the obvious. Most often I only have one species in a painting, which helps simplify things. This painting ended up having two species, which would’ve made the … Continued
Orange-crowned Warblers are often described as drab. While they aren’t as flashy as a Hooded or Kentucky Warbler, they really are quite beautiful. It took me a long time to confidently identify them because they have so many subtle features. The past … Continued
What is cuter than a Chickadee? Chickadees are incredibly common, and I’ve sketched them dozens of times, but I’ve only painted them once. Their high-contrast coloration makes them a little trickier for watercolor. For the same reason it’s hard to get a good … Continued
This flamingo painting is based on photos I took at the fantastic Toledo Zoo. I’ve been going there for more than 20 years. My second trip there was probably the most memorable. I was living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the time … Continued
The Numata Longwing Butterfly is native to most of South America. Its yellows, orange and black contrast really well with the dark greens of the leaf and background on this painting. Macro views of butterflies take a long time to … Continued
It’s been about 18 years since I last painted a butterfly. At that time I created several to decorate our infant daughter’s bedroom. I used to paint them life-sized, but these magnified views posed more of a challenge. Those tiny facets on the wings took a long time to … Continued
This painting of a Black-and-white Warbler was based on photos I took at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in Ohio. I think the first one I remember seeing was at Shaker Lakes in the Cleveland area. In my mind I thought … Continued