Anna's Hummingbird

I would like that thank Derek Scott (SSP Scottstudio Photography) who kindly gave me permission to paint this absolutely beautiful Anna's hummingbird. I was hunting for pictures of hummingbirds (still perfecting my skills in photographing them) when I was captured by this beautiful portrait of a hummingbird.



"Anna's Hummingbird"
6" x 4" hotpress watercolor paper
© 2008


I had some fun today at a big warehouse sale at Opus today... lots of people and some absolutely great deals. I've completed loaded up with canvas, matts, and frames. Now I have no excuse to have more paintings done.

Little Blue Tit

I had some extra paint on my palette from my house painting so I quickly did up this little painting. Blue tits (I believe) are the English version of the local chickadee and from what I understand they have the same kind of personality.



"Little Blue Tit"
4" x 3" canvas paper
© 2008

My Parents House, a Work in Progress

When I'm not experimenting with my watercolours, I have been working on a painting for my parents. It has been a long time waiting for this painting... but I've finally have a version on the go that I am happy with (so far anyways).



untitled, a Work in Progress
14" x 11" oil on stretched canvas
© 2008


I started out by creating a fairly detailed drawing of the house and a loose outline of the background. I fixed this with a fixative and then put a very thin layer of gesso to bring back some tooth the canvas. On top of that, I laid down a layer of Quinacridone Gold (mixed with mineral spirits). Then, when that was dry enough... I began blocking the painting with various blues, greens, white, and red.

I'm pretty happy with it at this stage and in the next couple of days I hope to block in the colours on the house.

Hot Times in GasTown

This painting is based on a photograph I took during the Jazz festival in Vancouver, British Columbia last summer. That particular weekend was one of the few hot weekends that we saw that summer. I can't remember the name of the building (or the street address either) other than I know it is in GasTown. The architecture really caught my eye, especially the ornate detain around the stone windows.



"Hot Times in GasTown"
4" x 6" watercolour on paper
© 2008


The colours seem a little washed out in the scan as they are much more vivid in real life.