Plus it's fun to play with the shades and the lovely graphite tones.
This is in my sketchbook, on Canson acid free 98 lb paper with Derwent pencils.
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| Pyrrhuloxia Pencil portrait study. 9x12" |
Art for people who love animals and nature.
Showing posts with label bird illustration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bird illustration. Show all posts
Pyrrhuloxia Desert Cardinal Pencil Drawing
Pencil drawing of the Pyrrhuloxia, Desert Cardinal to practice some value studies. Value are the dark and lights of a painting or drawing. Color can sometimes be a distraction so I like to draw several pencil studies of a subject to get the feel of it.
Plus it's fun to play with the shades and the lovely graphite tones.
This is in my sketchbook, on Canson acid free 98 lb paper with Derwent pencils.
Plus it's fun to play with the shades and the lovely graphite tones.
This is in my sketchbook, on Canson acid free 98 lb paper with Derwent pencils.
Birdy Journeys - Nature Haiku's
Documenting my experiences in nature with little picture poems - visual nature haiku's.
A few of the birdys I've seen below: house finch, northern beardless Tyranulet, yellow warbler, Wilson's warbler, western tanager, Lucy's warbler, vermillion flycatcher, black throated sparrow, elf owl, verdin.
Today, Ash throated flycatcher at Isabella Lee Nature Preseve with the guidance of Kendall Kroisen from Audubon.
A few of the birdys I've seen below: house finch, northern beardless Tyranulet, yellow warbler, Wilson's warbler, western tanager, Lucy's warbler, vermillion flycatcher, black throated sparrow, elf owl, verdin.
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| Watercolor, ink letters ©Sue Betanzos |
Today, Ash throated flycatcher at Isabella Lee Nature Preseve with the guidance of Kendall Kroisen from Audubon.
Lucy's Warbler Watercolor
A week ago I heard a very different call, right outside my door.
Today I finally glimpsed the bird singing in the dense branches of mesquite trees. It was hard because the bird was small, grey and very quick - flitting from branch and tree.
I've since discovered that most warblers are small and very quick, as they eat the insects.
It was fun solving the puzzle because for a while all I could hear was the call. Plus I was determined to find it.
Once sited and after a bit of searching with sound and site matching I learned I had spied a Lucy's Warbler. It's call was insistent, distinctive.
Here is the little bird gem that I torpedoed a mornings work to find. Dashing out whenever I heard it's call in hopes of spotting it!
While searching I was also treated to bright red Cardinal, Phainopepla, cheerful House Finches, Mourning Doves, and a lovely rich orange Queen Butterfly!
Also, yesterday around 6 pm on returning from my jog I stopped to watch a Cooper's Hawk dine on a fresh dove. It was amazing how fast it finished. The hawk has a large nest in a large tree by my house. Ruby amber eyes flashed in the late sunset as it neatly finished it's meal.
Time to get back to work - Continuing on my fun new Birdy Journey - I am Drawn By Nature.
Today I finally glimpsed the bird singing in the dense branches of mesquite trees. It was hard because the bird was small, grey and very quick - flitting from branch and tree.
I've since discovered that most warblers are small and very quick, as they eat the insects.
It was fun solving the puzzle because for a while all I could hear was the call. Plus I was determined to find it.
Once sited and after a bit of searching with sound and site matching I learned I had spied a Lucy's Warbler. It's call was insistent, distinctive.
Here is the little bird gem that I torpedoed a mornings work to find. Dashing out whenever I heard it's call in hopes of spotting it!
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| Lucy's Warbler Field Study - Watercolor, colored pencil |
While searching I was also treated to bright red Cardinal, Phainopepla, cheerful House Finches, Mourning Doves, and a lovely rich orange Queen Butterfly!
Also, yesterday around 6 pm on returning from my jog I stopped to watch a Cooper's Hawk dine on a fresh dove. It was amazing how fast it finished. The hawk has a large nest in a large tree by my house. Ruby amber eyes flashed in the late sunset as it neatly finished it's meal.
Time to get back to work - Continuing on my fun new Birdy Journey - I am Drawn By Nature.
I am Drawn By Nature
Drawn to Nature like a magnet in the mornings. It's the cool spring weather that motivates me to get out and see as many birds and wildlife as I can.
Saw a lot of activity this morning on Tanque Verde Loop which I will record with a list of birdies and a few sketches such as the ones below from Woodland Road the other day. Bright yellow warblers, scarlet red Cardinals, jewel hummingbirds - so many it was exciting.
My current birding will keep me outside until the extreme heat hits. Then lots of painting inside!
Next time I'll try a little plein air sketching - trees :)
Saw a lot of activity this morning on Tanque Verde Loop which I will record with a list of birdies and a few sketches such as the ones below from Woodland Road the other day. Bright yellow warblers, scarlet red Cardinals, jewel hummingbirds - so many it was exciting.
My current birding will keep me outside until the extreme heat hits. Then lots of painting inside!
Next time I'll try a little plein air sketching - trees :)
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| Nature Journal. Derwent, polychromos colored pencils, watercolors |
A Little Quail Whimsey In Colored Pencil
Happy Sunday!
Think I'll call this finished and stop picking at it. I deepened the contrasts and colors to add interest, bring it more into focus.
Another colored pencil session is scheduled at the Kirk Bear Canyon Library on Saturday afternoon Feb. 20, 10 am - noon. It's free so bring your colored pencils and learn some basic coloring tips.
Read more about class materials and where to get them HERE.
I used a lot of under painting layers in different colors to add depth. The only black used is on the quail, which was also under painted with a warm maroon to keep it from looking flat black.
I Highly recommend quality pigment rich pencils to work with such as: Koh-I-Noor, Faber Castell, Prismacolor. All available locally in Tucson or online.
Think I'll call this finished and stop picking at it. I deepened the contrasts and colors to add interest, bring it more into focus.
Another colored pencil session is scheduled at the Kirk Bear Canyon Library on Saturday afternoon Feb. 20, 10 am - noon. It's free so bring your colored pencils and learn some basic coloring tips.
Read more about class materials and where to get them HERE.
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| Quail Whimsey - 9x12" Colored Pencil, Strathmore vellum 100 lb |
Practice Shots - Bird Inks
These are "practice shots" to warm up drawing my skills. With all the spring activity I've been doing more birding to sharpen observation and memory.
Really fun and challenging plus the neighbors have bird feeders - how convenient!
This practice ink was done from observation and photo reference.
Brilliant yellow birds, bright rose finches and reds (cardinals & vermilion flycatchers).
With my binoculars I have spotted:
house finches, goldfinch (many), anna's hummingbirds, broad billed hummingbird, vermilion flycatcher, oriole (hooded), verdin, raven, dove, cooper's hawk, 1 owl, sparrow, woodpecker, phainopepla, cardinal.
Really fun and challenging plus the neighbors have bird feeders - how convenient!
This practice ink was done from observation and photo reference.
Brilliant yellow birds, bright rose finches and reds (cardinals & vermilion flycatchers).
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| American Goldfinch |
house finches, goldfinch (many), anna's hummingbirds, broad billed hummingbird, vermilion flycatcher, oriole (hooded), verdin, raven, dove, cooper's hawk, 1 owl, sparrow, woodpecker, phainopepla, cardinal.
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