long time out

Hi all,
well not done any painting since the summer  ;-(

I will get back to it soon....

seasons greetings to all

regards
Don

Hi All,
Well this month the challenge given by the water color group I belong to ...... WCW...  is a child portrait.......... here is my 'guide ' picture.... my youngest g/son and his mate.......

here is the basic sketch........

here are the first elements of color..........

a quick update picture :).....

a quick update picture......a few shadows and some background detail  :)......

Hi All........Well I think this may be the final picture ..... :)

Mmm... a little more 'skin tone' required I'm thinking ........

have a fun day   :)

Hi All,
Here is a picture done for a change from the bird series :)
Hot Air Balloons :)

basic sketch

Here is a quick update picture :)

Here is another update picture  :)

I am 'very' undecided about the trees I added to the background :)

here is the last update for today :)

Hi All,
here is the latest update to the Bees picture :)

Ok ok :)
here is the last update :)

Hot air balloons :):)

have a nice day :)

Hi All,
Well I have started another picture now......... Humming bird...
here is the sketch [feint] with basic background wash
you can just about make out the little bird in the middle of picture :)

I am trying with an 'out of focus' back ground........we shall see if it works :) :) 

more to come.......

Hi All, 

here is an update picture of the Humming bird .........

 Here I have added a few more back ground leaves and stems.....

may be I should leave it 'simplistic' and walk away from it ?

:) :) 

Hi All.

Well this one has gone to my grand daughter.........so I had to do my wife a replacement..........

here ....

watch this space :)

have a fun day :) 

Hi Folks,
Here is a Mandarin Duck I did yesterday....no steps on this one though.........

have a fun day  :)

Hi All.......
Well .....not wanting my brushes to dry .......... I have started the next bird......
a Canada Goose...... from a picture on 'paint my photo'.......
here..
 http://paintmyphoto.ning.com/photo/canada-goose-81

an extremely nice picture :) by  Carrie Layne Mashon

here is the basic sketch with first wash........

  yes ..it's still wet....... :) :)


Here is an update picture ... more detail.......

more to come :)
Well I just can't put this one down :)

here is another update.........

I was thinking maybe it needed a little darker tones..... but the bird really stands out at this tone level :)

what do YOU think ?  :)

well I have added a few darker tones to the bird and the reflections.......
here

watch this space :) :)

have a nice day :)

Hi All.....
Well ........while the paint is drying on the 'Shuttle' picture......LOL..
I have found the next one....'Group Hug'....
here is the basic wash.........

needs darkening perhaps...........


Hi there :)
well I have darkened the sky a fraction and added the ground wash :)
also pre-empting the base tones on the birds :)

Hi All.....Here is an update ........background

an update with darker lower background and a start on the birds ...  :)

HI  All,
 well here is an update picture,
more shadows required I think  :)

Thurs evening
Hi All,
I have done a little re-defining the feathers and shadows...........
here is the latest 'take' ...

watch this space......

have a fun day :)

Hi All,
Well I have already started the 'next' in the series........ Shuttle ?? :):)

the start..just a basic sketch....taken from 'paint my photo' site....

and here it is with a start on the back ground washes..........

the reed bed :)

and here is a revisit....I have moved the lower one forward a fraction.............

and now ..add some water............

ok..... that's it for today folks :):)

Hahaha........yes I really must leave it alone tonight......
just a quick update.....reflections and shadows

that's all today.......Honest :)

SUNDAY....
Well all,I left it alone in the end :)
here is an update from today.....lower bird installed :)

Here is the latest update picture........

I think may be it needs more detail in the top bird's wings and a touch more darks in the reeds ? 

Hi All,
Well I have done it ...................:)
more darks in the reeds and a little more detail in the wings..........

watch this space

have a fun day :)

Hi All,
Well this is number 3 in the new series.. birds..
a Jenny Wren...

Initial sketch and background wash....

and now an update picture......with base wash to the hand....

an update picture of enhancements to hand wash.......

watch this space :)

more toning to the hand, base wash on the Wren

Well I think this is the finished article now  :)

Hi All,
just some enhancements to tones of hand and shadows :)

this picture was taken outdoors in natural light  :)
I think this may be finished now :)


have a fun day  :)

here is the latest in the 'series'   :)
still in progress............

watch this space :)


Hi all...... an update to the Peacock.........

 may be done now ... :) ..........Well .........perhaps not............

here is another update   :)  :)

I think that's it now :)



have fun :)

Hi People,
Well.............. it looks as though I may be doing a 'series' of birds :)
here is another quick one....although I am not so pleased with this one........
  a pair of owls :)

I am not sure why though .............:)
it may be the questioning look on the female......left one ............ :)

have a fun day
:)

Hi folks,
here is the latest painting....
no stages though, as this was just a quick one :)

inspiration for this was from this site

http://www.birdingart.com/pages/bone/kingfisher.html
by Tina Bone

many thanks for the inspiration :)

have a fun day :)

Hi All,
I am now starting a large picture......23 x 16 ins....Harbour is the original picture........ but I think 'The Moorings' is a better title :)here is the rough sketch for starting.sorry it is a little feint.:)

here is an update with basic washes.....:)

a further update picture with outlines starting to take shape....  :)

Hi All....... here is another update to the picture.....the mooring

sorry....... this pic is a tad 'fuzzy' :)
this is not going to be a 'quick one'   :):)


Hi All......
just a quick update :)

A quick update picture.........

Well, this is getting really close to done now .... if not there already :)
we shall see tomorrow   :)

Tuesday
Hi All.........
here is an update to 'the moorings'   :)

a better picture :)

Well here is another update......I hav altered the tones of the trees to try and get some depth

watch this space........  :)

have a fun day :)