I consulted this list of endangered species:
Araripe Manakin
This was the first bird I came across on the list, I can't pronounce it's name. But I did these paintings of it. The first was about an hour long water colour study. I always shy away from painting like this on the course, as spending so long on a drawing (although an hour isn't that long but it was an intense concentrating hour, which don't come easy.) that is a realistic type replica doesn't seem productive or relevant. I worry that there is not enough interesting visual language in these pieces.
I cleaned the regional drawing up a bit by putting it through photoshop.
I found that the process of carefully drawing out in pencil then rendering in watercolour got my eye in, and this very informed understanding of the bird allowed me to draw some other very quick paintings that combined accuracy of form, detail and shading. They were expressive and quick as the pressure was off creating one perfect lovely piece and so they benefit from my drawing at it's best, when I am being totally carefree and experimental.
Areas of success:
- Use of blue as line work and in dots, these make it a more interesting piece and give it a more dynamic element.
- The bleeding of the rich brown paint. this was accidental, but the results give a very successful shading effect that gives the birds some more life like quality.
Areas to Improve on:
- Do more!
- The branch painting in the first initial watercolour is totally overworked, need a more carefree approach to it, to be careful not to overwork pieces.
I also drew this endangered bird a week later:
This one felt a lot less successful and sits much more uncomfortably on the page. I ought to reevaluate the way I paint the brown coloured wing texture. This took me an hour or more to draw and paint.
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