Fluttering Wings

Our first step today is to paint the background. I’ve selected a muted adobe color to accentuate the Magenta Blossoms of the Buddleia, or Butterfly Bush, as well as the bright colors of the Hummingbirds. Mixes of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + a little Cadmium Yellow Medium + White are used. I carefully work around the birds and blooms that were washed in during our previous session. To see how the initial wash-in was done, CLICK HERE.

The tiny feet of the Hummingbirds are drawn into the wet paint of the background with a fine liner brush dipped in a thin oil mix of MUD + Liquin Original. Please remember as you read through my blog, you may click on any of the images to see them larger.

The tips of the tall flowers are dark Magenta. They are blocked in with a mixture of Magenta + Liquin Original, using the corner of my square tipped “Bright” brush.

Now for our Hummingbirds. In order to give the impression of movement, I work wet-into-wet. With the paint of the background still wet I soften the ends of the brushstrokes that form the wing feathers, giving them the appearance of action.

The shadow part of the Hummingbird’s ruby red throat is Cadmium Red Deep + Magenta. Cadmium Red Light + a tiny bit of White is used for the feathers glimmering in the sunlight.

The same technique of softening the ends of the feathers into the wet paint of the background is used to make this little fella’s wings look like they are fluttering.

The vibrant heads and backs of our trio of Hummingbirds are painted with combinations of Viridian Green + White.

Holding my breath, a fine liner brush is used to delineate the catch light and the illuminated portion of the iris in the eye of each bird. This sometimes takes two or three attempts before I have it just the way I want.

Our feathered friends are complete! I’ll be working on the Buddleia blossoms and leaves in our next session. I do hope you’ll come back to my studio and watch. HUGS,

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