California Brown Pelican

"Pelican #1"
oil on panel, 2011
6" x 8" (15.24cm x 20.32cm)
private collection

The California Brown Pelican is found all up and down our coast and in the 1970's was in danger of becoming extinct due to DDT, a pesticide.

Pelicans with their huge beaks appear gangly but are so graceful in flight. Simple subject, simple design.
The challenge with the single object is trying to avoid the  'clump'  or  'bullet hole' smack dab in the middle of a composition.

Fortunately birds, with their wings especially, make the design easier to manage. Even centered this configuration allows for a more dynamic composition of angles and interesting shapes.

After that not much more was needed. I put the lightest value along the bottom to put air underneath the pelican and provide a visual 'lift' and subtly echoed the head and feather shapes in the darker clouds to set up an opposing angle to the two wings.
Cool light from above, warm shadow or reflected light from below.126


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Bird Study-Greater Pewee

"Greater Pewee"
pencil on paper, 2011
image area 5" x 3.5" (12.7cm x 8.89cm)
For Sale at Daily Paintworks, CLICK HERE

This drawing is a bit more 'studied' than previously posted bird sketches, here and here.
The focus is more on the values in the bird (hence the transparency of the branch) and it's soft feather texture.115

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Bird Sketches

each-pencil on paper, 2011
4.5" x 5" (11.43cm x 12.7cm) "Small Bird Dark Background", top.
For Sale at Daily Paintworks, CLICK HERE

5.5" x 4.5" (13.97cm x 11.43cm) two birds unframed


Here's a couple more quick little bird sketches.
Framing as always, is best done by professionals. I'm ok at it but these people do it everyday and have a far better eye for it.
The frame was selected by an interior designer and one of the staff  at Art and Frame Company in Costa Mesa California (Randy Higbee Gallery).108,109

Graphite frame and gray matte really compliment the simple drawing rather than overpower it.

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Flycatchers-Sketches

"Eastern Phoebe"
pencil on paper, 2011
5" x 4" (12.7cm x 10.16cm)
NFS

"Eastern Wood-Pewee"
pencil on paper, 2011
3.75" x 3.25" (9.525cm x 8.255cm)
NFS

Here's a couple quick little sketches of flycatchers. Called flycatchers due to there manner of feeding or hunting, perching in one spot then flying out to catch insects out of the air. Both are rather plain or even drab in their color and markings but no less beautiful than more fanciful species. The Eastern Phoebe (top) is a slim flycatcher that perches low along streams. The Eastern Wood-pewee perches high among foliage in forests and is rarely seen.97,98

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Puffer

"Puffer Fish"

mixed media, 2006

9 ³ ⁄₈" x 6 ¾" (23.80cm x 17.145cm)

private collection

Only Mother Nature could come up with creatures that look so silly but are cool. This puffer looks at the viewer with an attitude of "What are you lookin' at?"

Most artists will break from their usual work from time to time to do something fun, something that has been in the back of their mind or sometimes totally random.

I had a lot fun with this one.55

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In Tune

"Seascape (w/ Lone Pelican)"

oil on panel, 2007

6" x 8" ( 15.24cm x 20.32cm)

private collection

Although small, this is one of those paintings I needed to spend a fair amount of time on in order to get the semi choppy texture of the water right. The pelican itself was not all that difficult to paint. In fact, my original intent was a texture study of the sea itself with nothing else, but having reached that point I decided to include the bird.

A lone pelican in this case so as not to stray too far from that original intent. I even like the fact that it sort of blends into the water instead of standing out. A statement to how wildlife must be more in tune to nature in order to abide her uncompromising ways.34

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3 Birds

"Crow in Burnscape"

oil on panel, 2010

6" x 8" ( 15.24cm x 20.32cm)

private collection

"Male Chaffinch"

oil on panel, 2009

3.5" x 5" (8.89cm x 12.7cm)

private collection

"Caspian Tern"

Acrylic on illus. board, 2004

private collection

Here's 3 very different bird paintings done at different times. In this case they were not done as part of any series.

"Caspian Tern" was a commissioned painting from 2004. The tern, and if I'm not mistaken the recipient of the painting too, is frequently seen around the wetlands in Huntington Beach California. The wetlands have been going thru habitat restoration the last few years so as they expand so will the numbers of visiting wildlife, creating great opportunities for artists and photographers.

"Male Chaffinch" The owner of this painting is known for her referrals and networking skills, so from the expression "A little bird told me... " came this image. I did choose a male chaffinch over a female for the simple reason that in most cases in nature, it's the male who has the colorful markings and colorful is what her personality is all about.

"Crow in Burnscape" was a response to having walked thru a nature preserve following a wildfire. The birds and small wildlife I saw scurried about behaving rather nervously, while the crows seemed to be surprisingly at home. Crows, which are known for their intelligence must have realized that they were the only ones who now blended into their modified charcoal landscape.25,26,27

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