Here he is, in all his duckie glory. I've gotten a little behind in the number of paintings I've completed now, but I think he was worth the wait.
My husband took the photo that I based this painting on back in the winter when the creek was half-frozen. (This guy was in the water standing guard while his hen rested on a rock.) Purely by accident, the water around the edge of the painting looks something like submerged pieces of ice as well. I enjoy that coincidence.
We haven't been able to do any birding the last few days because it has been so incredibly windy here. I know, I know; we're wimps, but seriously when the birds do venture out, they are just little gray blurs as they get blown from one spot to another. Otherwise they are all hunkered down in the most interior branches of the trees and shrubs, hanging on for dear life. But it gives me a good excuse to stay inside and paint more.
4 comments:
He was definitely worth the wait! I really like the Mallard himself. I think the foreground around him is a little ambiguous. In reading your notes, I find it's ice and winter which explains the grays. I think I would have exaggerated the ice and actually put in some hard edges so that there is no doubt as to what's going on.
KEEP GOING! KEEP PAINTING! Don't look back! No judging!
Gabrielle, excellent Mallard! I really like the way you finished up the background too, instead of your original sketch with a horizon line.
Gorgeous!!!
...before I even read your text, I thought it looked like the duck was floating in ice water. i totally saw what you described. He is a handsome Mallard...
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