In this Hawk Owl painting I tested very limited palette. First I airbrushed background layer and shape of this wonderful owl. Next step was drawing shape of the dead pine and the bird over the paint layer.
In third stage I scratched all light areas and birds details. I painted several thin acrylic layers over shadow parts and bird. Result feels interestingly 3D when you look at finished painting.
Ready painting:
Finnish coast has thousands of islands and islets. These kinds of islands are paradise for bird painters. Some of our bird painters have spent weeks or months in small islands sketching, drawing and photographing birds. We went to Utö island for end of summer trip. This island is southern most inhabited island in Finnish coast. Most of time was spend photographing great views and birds, but on ferry and photographing hide there was time for sketching.
My sketches are almost always very quickly done and small. I do them when I want to plan painting composition or when I am building idea for a painting. Sometimes I draw details that I will use in painting. Other Finnish painters make many times more detailed and larger sketches that they colour. I admire their skill but I often would like to start making the final piece right away.
Some of my newest paintings will have original sketch attached on back of the painting.
Detailed story can be found in our birders diary blog
Bird paintings from Hanna Aalto and Risto Lammin-Soila and sculptures from Hillevi Latvalahti.
Our exhibition will open 20.8.2011 in Gallery Karaija. If you are in Finland you are welcome to vernissage between 14.00-16.00 In Gallery Karaija Bolstantie 5, 10210 Inkoo.
Risto Lammin-Soila has made colourful paintings of African birds and Hillevi Latvalahti has nice collection of sculptures of Finnish birds.
Whinchats and thistles occur often together. Thistles grow along field ditches where they provide good places for Whinchats. These plants are a bit higher than others so Whinchats can see crawling insects better.
Low back light is one of my favourite lights. It makes colours of pants glowing and golden rim around everything. I decide to combine Whinchats and these great thistles in this painting. First paint layers are airbrushed and then I continued with scratching and with thin acrylic layers. Painted thistles are bit more lilac in painting but getting same colour to picture is difficult.
When painting is almost finished I put it aside for some time. When I look it again I can see easier if there are areas needing more work or mistakes to fix.
I have seen this year more short-eared owls than usually. They have great contrastic plumage and long wings. Because their interresting look I have made several paintings of them.
In this painting setting sun colors this Short-eared Owl. Wings become deep orange when last sun rays goes trough feathers. I used airbrush in first layer and then I continued by scratching and making thing colour layers. This painting is done to Ampersand claybord with Holbein Aeroflash paints.
