Alfred Inspired

I painted this looking out my patio window. I have about five bird feeders in my yard. I chose this format because I had the paper. I love birds but not the mess they make. I still feed them. The initial sketch was in ink. Of course, when you work from life you tend to work from multiple sources for one image.

Sketchbook

Three In The Weeds

This painting was a bit rushed because my painting time was short. I like to watch and painting birds. I was very comfortable sitting on the ground with my supplies spread about in the shade. I worked on a black 8 by 8 panel in casein. I was peaceful that entire vacation. I cant wait to retire.

Pond Birds Point Richmond

I painted this piece while sitting under a shade tree at Point Richond. I started out with a value sketch in my sketchbook and then painted this image using the sketch and what was in front of me. I liked the birds that were playing in the pond and the trees in the background. I painted it on a piece of 8 by 10 gator board that had been coated with about three layers of gesso.

A page from my travelogue sketchbook that I took with me during my recent trip to Northern California. I painted this from the hotel balcony.

Dos Ducks

I love painting water and the reflections on it. Lake Cleone calms me. It has beautiful views, birds and the beach across the small parking area. On my most recent visit I really didn't want to lug around my camera. So I relied on my camera phone and onsite sketches. This painting is a result of the onsite sketches and my trusty camera phone photos.

Three Ducks

I love this little lake and its birds. I often paint this area as opposed to the ocean across the parking lot. This was inspired by a photo taken with my phone a few years ago.

Cleone Lake Tenants

I really like the water in this one. I think it helps to work onsite. I have painted by this lake many times. I love the variety of reflections on the water and of course the birds.

The Flock

This painting reminds me of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. I worked from a plein air sketch for this the second exploration of this image. I was sitting on the beach when I painted the first study: this is the first copy in watercolor. It takes me back to the time and sensations when I copy a plein air sketch.

Timid

While the other birds were in the water fighting for food. This little one perched him/herself on the top of a boat. Timidly waiting for scraps. I worked quickly before he/she flew off.

Before the Restaurant Opens

This guy showed up right before the Shrimpers. He stood still long enough for me to get him down in watercolor. I was working in the 5 by 7 format with a #6 ultra round made by Loew-Cornell. This was one of the nine paintings from Saturday in Fulton, Texas

Waiting For A Table

These birds were waiting as others were swooping down to get the scraps thrown off the boat by the fishermen. They were in the air water and perched on the boat. This is the only pastel completed during the painting trip. Normally I paint in pastel when out in the field. Its always good to change it up. Since the wind was blowing at 52 miles per hour it was easy to paint in watercolor and get bold color. The wind dried the surface pretty quickly.