Winter Willet Pencil Sketch p83
I saw my first Willet thanks to my friend Don Brown. While living in New Jersey years ago, I drove out to Jones Beach, Long Island, to go birding with him. Jones Beach is known for great winter birds, and … Continued
Winter Willet Transparent Watercolor
I love birds but have a definite weak spot in my life list when it comes to shorebirds. Having lived mostly inland, far away from the coast, I’ve missed out on seeing many of these birds. I enjoy watching them and learning … Continued
Pine Siskin Pencil Sketch p82
Winter finches are always a welcome sight. After all the migrants trail off, it’s nice to see old friends at the feeders. Pine Siskins are fairly reliable. We get them at the feeders every year, though the quantity tends to vary dramatically. A finch … Continued
Cedar Waxwing on Blue, Transparent Watercolor
The sleek, fine feathering of Cedar Waxwings makes for a good challenge in watercolor. When picking out what to paint next, I usually try to choose things I’ve not done before. Breaking new ground keeps things fresh and offers new challenges. … Continued
Female/Immature Common Redpoll Painting (10×7-inch Watercolor and Time Lapse Video)
It’s been over a month since I posted. I’ve been insanely busy with medical illustration and animation work, which is good, since my freelance work tends to be “Feast or Famine.” Plus, it was peak season for mountain biking. This blog is … Continued
Redbud Treehopper (Black-horned Leaf Hopper) Transparent Watercolor and Time-lapse Video
This treehopper is an impressive thorn mimic. A few years ago I saw a set of thorns on the redbud and thought, “Wait a minute… that shouldn’t have thorns.” Sure enough, it was a cluster of thorn mimics. They are great … Continued
Reckless Jumping Spider Transparent Watercolor and Painting Video
Yes, it is a watercolor painting of a spider. Sorry if you’re not a fan, but I really like jumping spiders and enjoy photographing, drawing and painting them. These interesting little guys are ambush predators, pouncing on their prey much like a … Continued
Golden-crowned Kinglets Transparent Watercolor and Painting Video
Golden-crowned Kinglets are powerfully cute, so this transparent watercolor painting was great fun to complete. In our house family members tend to get distracted by birds in the yard. That is a hazard—and benefit—of homeschooling the kids. It’s also probably one reason why our … Continued
Pine Siskin Transparent Watercolor & Time-Lapse Video
This is a 7 x 10-inch transparent watercolor painting of a Pine Siskin on Arches 140lb hot pressed paper. I’ve had this sketch sitting around for a while and thought it would be fun to paint. I’ve always loved Pine … Continued
Juvenile Hairy Woodpecker Transparent Watercolor & Time-Lapse Video
When I was staring out as a birder, I’d get confused between Downy Woodpeckers and Hairy Woodpeckers. At first peek they sure look alike. I think they were problematic for a few reasons. First, let’s be honest, the names stink … Continued