These Bronze Mannikins are frequent visitors to our garden (like sparrows in other areas). I love seeing them and I particularly liked how these two were huddled together. My photograph wasn't a very good one, so I was forced to simplify and be inventive, both of which, in art, are good things!
2 B Together
(Bronze Mannikins huddled together)
Mixed Media on Crescent Board
165 x 125mm
I then attempted a second bird picture and documented the steps to share with you:
Materials:
Piece of Crescent mounting board
Black fine liner
Oil pastels
Turps
Brushes: short, round taclon brush (no 5), flat bristle brush no 6, 3/4 inch bristle brush from hardware store.
Modpodge
Black water soluable ink
Acrylic colours
Laquer Spray
- Wipe edges of mountboard with wax, or paint with modpodge, so the layers don't separate when it gets wet.
- I drew the subject quickly with a black fine liner, trying to be correct with the spacial relationships, but not being perfectionistic about detail.
- Then I added colour using oil pastels, in a spontaneous way.
- I used Turps and the fine round brush to blend the oil pastel in areas, especially on the bird, removing some of the texture. This needs to dry. A hair dryer can speed up the process!
- Then I painted on Modpodge as a resist over the bird and a few other areas, eg branches and "leaves".
- I dried it again, using a hair dryer.
- Then I brushed black ink over the entire picture liberally, using the 3/4 " brush.
- The excess ink was then wiped off with a tissue, leaving dark areas which give a new depth to the picture:
- Now it was time to accentuate detail and add a few hilights, especially on the bird, using acrylics paints.
- Finally, when dry, I sprayed it with clear laquer to seal it.
Lone Lookout
(Brown Hooded Kingfisher)
Mixed Media on Crescent Board
165 x 125mm
Posts
