Season's Change - Bird #55

Taking a break from the drake duck to paint a quick little picture of my favourite bird... the chickadee.  The weather person was talking tonight of the possibility of *gasp* snow showers this weekend!  So...  I thought I would paint a little bit of a wintery scene... just to get used to the snowy look.  Hopefully no snow showers appear... I still have stuff in my garden!!

Season's Change 5" x 5" watercolour  © 2011 Photo Reference kindly provided by Alan and Elaine Wilson

Wood Duck Drake - WIP, Step 3

It has been a little while since my last update... but harvest season was (is) calling.  I have been busy canning tomatoes, salsa, and lots of wonderful fruit chutneys.  This winter I will be enjoying the wonderful tastes of summer.

I have been slowly working on this guy... adding more to the back end and just starting on the reflection in the front.  I feel like I have made the wing tips at the back a little too blue.  The beauty of aquabord is that the colour is pretty easy to lift and I should be able to tone it down fairly easily. 

  Wood Duck Drake 10" x 8" watercolour on aquabord © 2011 Photo Reference kindly provided by Alan and Elaine Wilson

Wood Duck Drake - WIP, Step 2

Last night was a perfect autumn evening... little breeze, cool and crisp... perfect to do some tomato sauce canning.  While the boiling was doing its job sealing the jars... I managed to get a little more done on this guy.  I've started working on the tail and rear water reflection using a multitude of colours.  The one thing about working on a palette like mine (little dabs of paint everywhere)... is that I never really know the name of the colour that I am using... but, I do (for the most part) know where I want to use the colour.  If that makes any sense. 

  Wood Duck Drake 10" x 8" watercolour on aquabord © 2011 Photo Reference kindly provided by Alan and Elaine Wilson

Wood Duck Drake - Work in Progress

I got a request to paint a wood duck drake... so that means the Gastown painting I have been working on is on hold (again) while I work on this guy.  I have never painted one before so it will be a good learning experience.

  Wood Duck Drake 10" x 8" watercolour on aquabord © 2011 Photo Reference kindly provided by Alan and Elaine Wilson

Gastown Corner - Work in Progress

So the summer has come and gone, and near my home town in Saskatchewan I see they are under a frost warning (!!!) already.  Even here, though it did get up to 30 C today, the leaves on the trees are starting to show a hint of autumn colours.  I suppose soon fall will be upon us.

I am making good progress on this fun little cityscape (based on a photograph I took in Gastown, Vancouver, British Columbia).  Today, layered in some washes on the walls and slowly painting in the bricks.

  Gastown Corner 8" x 10" watercolour© 2011