Posted by: KarenWhitworth
on Jan 10, 2011
I was watching some little Red Poles outside on one of our trees and I thought I’d try some new techniques; here is a step by step of the acrylic / water color painting. Here is the finished product:
New Techniques
Here is a method I stumbled onto that (for this painting anyway) has created a wonderful result.
With this painting I wanted a very loose background. Taking my sheet of watercolor paper I used a 1 1/2″ wash brush and wet the entire paper. Now holding it elevated at one end I lightly applied blobs and streaks of color vertically. As gravity pulled the paint downward vague impressions of birch trunks emerged. Before the paper dried I lightly sprinkled it with salt to imply a light snow falling gently to the ground.
With the background done I switch over to acrylic paint. With thin, semi-transparent strokes I begin to block in the birch branches.
Now I mix titanium white and water to apply the snow. It is important to use semi-transparent paint when using this technique because you do not want your different elements to appear pasted onto the transparent background. By implementing these less opaque applications of paint we are helping the painting to become a cohesive unit.
With the addition of the Redpoll the painting is now finished. Watercolor and acrylic on watercolor paper. 11×15
These Common Redpolls frequent our bird feeder on the porch. They remind me of God’s provision. Though they seem so little and insignificant upon first glance, each little bird has his own personality and quirks. He doesn’t worry where or how his next meal will come to be, even in the long cold winter. It is provided.
To see more step-by-step tutorials visit my website here: https://whitworthgallery.org/
This Original, "Eying the Feeder" is Available through Artic Rose Gallery. (907) 279-3911. 420 L St # 201 Anchorage, AK
Posted by: gringrimaceandsqueak
on Dec 14, 2010
There was a great deal of excitement at Grin HQ recently when it actually snowed ! This might not seem like much of an event for those of you who spend half your lives up to your armpits in it, but in a county known for its beaches surfing and palm trees (yes, we can actually grow a species of palm down here), this was big news.
We piled out of the door and headed for the hills, armed with camera of course :) Now, Cornwall is full of standing stones, burial chambers and the like, to the point where wandering around in the gorse can be a bit of a liability. You get a nice sunset and you can't normally move for photographers, we have to queue up to take our turn at getting the shot !
Having wheezed all the way to the top we were therefore delighted to discover that not only was one of our local favourites indeed covered in snow, there wasn't a single footprint in the snow anywhere. Lit by the winter sun, against a backdrop of more snow out to sea, it was all ours :)
One of those glorious days when everything comes together and you're in the privileged position of having the entire thing to yourself. Needless to say, having snapped it for future reference we spent quite some time then just living it.
Karen and Rich
