Limited Palette

A Quick Killdeer

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040815-KilldeerJust found out it’s #DrawABirdDay on Twitter. Since “today” didn’t have much time left, I decided to Draw A Bird with my brush – no base sketch! About 20 minutes in my sketch book, from a Wikipedia ref.

I’ve always loved Killdeer, they have enchanted my summer nights since I was little. Didn’t find out for sure what birds they are until last month! They fly and call in the dark and you can’t see them. They never sound the same on the wetlands during the daytime.

6″ x 9″ on Fabriano Cold Press 140lbs. Bird: Raw Umber, Sicklerite, Jane’s Gray, and PO71 for the eye ring. For the background, a little Raw Sienna and premixed Hooker’s Green (PB27 and PY150).

Originally posted on WetCanvas.com.

Another Lighthouse Paper Test: Fabriano Cold Press

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100714 Fabriano CP lighthouse test_CCI find lighthouses are irresistible subjects when I want to test some paper… there is no better excuse to paint a sky!

This is some 140lb Fabriano Cold Press that I’m considering for the next sketchbook. Have been using various brands of 140lb rough for the last three books and decided to change it up a bit. I like using something different in each, keeps me from getting stagnant.

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The Third Bird: Brandt’s Cormorant

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091814 Brandts Corm CCI painted three water birds to check out the Garza Papel 140lb sample sheets. Here’s bird #3, a Brandt’s Cormorant. Source image courtesy of stalksthedawn in the WetCanvas Reference Image Library.

Garza 140lb CP, PB28 Cobalt and PBr7 Burnt Sienna. Some of the darker grays are PB29+PBr7. Painted him with thoughts of the compromised young Brandt’s that practically flopped onto my feet during a morning beach walk a few weeks ago. He was struggling to move out of the surf zone and it almost seemed like he came to us for help.

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A Repair Job – American Avocet

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082314 AAvocet MaskingI decided to paint a series of shorebirds on some of those lovely Garza Papel sample sheets. For extra fun/practice I am doing them without sketching first, just put up a ref and dive in. The Great Blue (heron) turned out nice, so I decided to do an American Avocet next. It was an adventure! I thought others might benefit from seeing a rescue operation in progress.

The short version: Better to plan ahead than try to fix things!

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The Great Blue

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The-Great-Blue-081214Testing a free sample of Garza Papel. I’m in love!! They have a standing offer for free samples, which I highly recommend if you’ve never used their paper. Now that I’ve tried it, I’m dying to purchase and make a sketchbook out of it… have to save up first though. It will be worth it.

Cobalt blue PB28 and Burnt Sienna PBr7. I mixed the samples up accidentally, this one feels like 140lb CP. It’s about 5.5″ x 7.5″.

The reference was a Great Blue Heron, although the red came on too strong and it’s looking more like a Little Blue Heron. Oh well. No base sketch, I just went right in with a wet brush, for the challenge.

Originally posted on WetCanvas.com.

Lighthouse Paper Test

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042214-Lighthouse-detail042214-Lighthouse-paper-testPaper test! The first washes looked really good, so I decided to finish it up. PB28, PO62, and PBr7 Burnt Umber. It’s 12″ x 4″ on 140lb Fabriano Artistico Rough.

And yes, I love the paper!

Stormcloud Painting

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Blue-Lighthouse-crop2That storm doodle sketch inspired me to try it again on a quarter sheet. Same two colors, same method, same laws of physics – totally different results! This is a cropped version, hiding a really prominent breaking wave at the bottom that was just bugging me as soon as I’d painted it.

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Stormcloud Doodle

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020214-Storm-Doodle-w-lighthouseI was inspired by some stormclouds the other day and painted a sketch of them. PB28 Cobalt and PO62 benzimidazolone orange. Mostly washed on as pure color + let the laws of physics do the magic. (I did mix a little on the palette for the very deep accents in the clouds. ) Added the lighthouse after it was dry, I just couldn’t stop seeing one there so had to do it. About 5″ x 7″ on a loose piece of 140lb paper, probably the Richeson stuff I don’t really like. Worked well here though!

California Door

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california-door-1-finalTesting Twinrocker rough. (Conclusion? I like it. I really really like it. I may have to start affording it. )

8″ x 10″ from their sample pack, bright white paper. Maimeri Blu PB29 and PR101, and DS PO48.

This is a made-up door, very typical of California cookie-cutter condos (with their mishmash of architectural styles) and blazing summer sun. The iron decoration is from the wall of a nearby apartment building.

Originally posted on WetCanvas.com

Pebble Sand – Demo

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CK_chicago-beach_09--98I’ve been digging through scads of old photos this weekend, scrounging for reference pics. Found a few winners, including this shot of some pebbles on the lakeshore in Chicago, taken on vacation in 1998.

I wanted to keep a limited palette and also explore the sand-creating possibilities of the best granulator I know: Daniel Smith Genuine Purpurite. This stuff is so granular it’s almost best not to really paint with it, as much as dab it on and let the water float it around.

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