Got It Covered!

Bang goes my intent to update my blog every two weeks! Inclement weather and internet demons have recently put paid to this! Here's a double bill to hopefully get me back on track!
It's been an ambition to produce something to adorn a bird report cover for some time now. So here's my first proper attempt - for the 2015 Carlton Marsh Natural History Report. It's rather safe but that's the point as I wanted something which will reproduce to a decent standard. Trial runs suggest it's a success and should look better with a nice white surround and bold black lettering above it.
The GWE was sketched at Old Moor in September and will almost certainly have been this regular individual which made a flying visit to the reserve during this period. Only 25 copies are likely to be published so it's likely to be a collector's item in a few decades! Watch this space!
Cheers
Russ

                           Field sketches of Great White Egret, Old Moor, September 2015

                                                          2015 Carlton Marsh Report Cover

Return To The Steppe

So to keep up my intention of posting no more infrequently than a fortnight (or so!) here's another piece worked up from my Kazakhstan trip a couple of years ago. Sociable Lapwing was the target bird for me, having dipped on them in Gujarat, albeit unknowingly, the year before. With a trip to Syria out for obvious reasons Central Asia seemed the only place to reliably get them. However, they're declining here, so it was with great satisfaction we connected with them after a couple of hours searching the vast steppe just around 50km outside Astana. I recall having to make this quick sketch through the leader's scope just outside the tour bus, as he didn't want everyone piling out and disturbing the small party present - understandably! This was drawn 18 or so months ago, and is rather 'off' jizz-wise. Anyway, I stuck true to the original sketch and it's not a mile off. A rather breezy and hazy day, which was very difficult to convey, of course.
Thanks for looking.
Russ

                           Field sketch of Sociable Lapwing, Nr Astana, Kazakhstan,17th May, 2013

                                                                 Who's a proud chap!

Desperate For A Butchers

Hands up who doesn't get excited about these? Thought so. GGS's have provided me with some of my best birding memories - especially when I've blundered into them myself! Re-finding one at Barrow Tip in the Worsbrough Valley in April 1990, and then finding one on passage near Winscar Res. in Oct 2011 remain major highlights. A couple of sketches of the bird which at Midhope last January are below, with a worked up drawing below those. Ok, in the pose chosen I've had to 'recreate' the primary patch as the bird flew before I could get a detailed look at it. Further sketches did show the flank feathers often obscuring this, though. I've also added the highlight to the eye - otherwise it would look stuffed! I've chose a nice blue sky background to emphasize the bird's striking pattern. A stunner - no matter what the pic looks like!
Thanks for looking.
Russ

                Field sketches of Great Grey Shrike, Midhope, 24th January 2015 and bxxxxy cold!

                                                                  On my 2016 wish-list!

Taking It Easy

Both me and the bird....
    Apologies (once again!) for my lack of action! So, New Year and new posts, and a hopefully a healthy and fruitful new birding year to you all! My next post will be in a fortnight's time - no messing! I worked up this sketch of  a preening BHG recently. These are a favourite subject of mine as they are always available and often present loads of challenging poses. I wanted to get a rich, deep texture with the coloured pencil to the background, so applied loads of layers this time. I think it's worked! The shadow was a feature I wanted to capture has it gives a lot more depth to the pic. Does it sound like I know what I'm talking about?
Cheers

Field sketches of preening BHG, Old Moor, Summer, 2015

 

Back In Black

My latest attempt to get some life into my drawings! A Black Tern at Old Moor back in May was rather nice subject being basically black, white and grey - the colour combination of some of the best in the avian world, for me anyway. I recall the weather was very changeable whilst I was sketching, being blustery one minute and the almost calm the next. The background water was proving a challenge as always so I went for the middle ground, between choppy and still. Anyway, I reckon the water's more convincing than what's gone before. I also recall the bird having a teeny bit longer-than-average bill. Perhaps I've gone a tiny bit overboard here but not to worry, I like the 3D aspect of he bird and the subtle contrasts between the lovely grays and blacks. Artist's speak!
 Thanks for looking
Russ

 

                               Field Sketches and pic of Black Tern, Old Moor, 3rd May 2015

Elegantly Wasted

Aaahh, lovely drake Pintail! I've not had many opportunities to sketch these fine birds so it was nice to come across one at Old Moor recently. Being a bit out of practice I really struggled to get anything remotely near to capture the elegance of these birds. Several pages later I got something similar to the bird. It was dull, grey morning and everything seemed rather 'flat', so the bird's sharp lines really stood out against the pale greys of the background. Whilst studying this  bird I can really appreciate why bird artists wax lyrical about them. To me, though, it was more or less just another duck which was a real pain to draw!
Cheers

                                        Field sketch of pintail, Old Moor, 18th October 2015

From the Steppe

Apologies for the lack of posts over the past few weeks. To make up for it here's three in one go!
I've harped on about Caspian Terns before so I won't go there again, but I will say they're always worth a second, third and even fourth look! A pic I did some eighteen months ago when I was trying to get the basics of coloured pencils. The bird's crap but I was pleased with the effects I got whilst working on the background. I was surprised at the rather 'painterly' look and it gave me some idea of what the medium can do. The sketch is much better than the re-drawn bird and was done in the field whilst enjoying the blistering birding of the Kazak steppe a couple of years ago.
Cheers

                            Field sketch of Caspian Tern, near Astana, Kazakhstan, 17th May 2013