I've used pencil and colour sketches of pheasants to compose this watercolour. I've uses a source photograph taken on a very cold rather foggy day earlier in the year. It was taken from our garden and you can see I've taken liberties. The rail fence and the holly hedge have gone and I've tried to make better artistic use of the sky. I rarely use a photo source 'as is.'



Observing the cock pheasant strutting around in our garden in the snow I was struck by the bright browns and yellows of his plumage. This gave me the idea of making use of his bright warm colours to brighten up the foreground as a foil against the cool background colours. Observation and decision making is what makes painting so exciting.

The watercolour was painted on a sheet of A3 Langton taken from a pad. I did it really as a try out for a larger half sheet watercolour. I think for that I will place the birds against the woodland on the left and omit the sky. In the larger format I'll be able to make more of the birds.

I'm working in a pure watercolour manner here laying washes onto damp paper for soft blends. I was tempted to slosh on some acrylic white body colour at one stage because the background on the right had lost it's mistiness and become too dark. Purists will approve - I solved the problem by lifting out. Mustn't fall into bad habits by going for a quick fix!

(claphands) Love this Rob and a good way to remind us that we dont have to slavishly draw or paint all we see.
Lovely 12painter

And a very good job you've made of it as well, if I was going to be a real nit-picker the two lefthand posts seems to line up with the tree trunks in the background and I think would be better with some seperation

lovely painting Rob and a great example to us on using photos, especailly for me as I can't get on to good sites to sketch etc.

A great piece of wok Rob, love the delicate washes. :D

Can only agree with the others Rob, this is a very nicely executed painting showing how a photo can be interpreted to good advantage. Hope you don't lose all the sky in the larger version as I think it helps set the tone of the day.

Well done thssupp

It's funny how things avoid your attention. Ken, I never noticed that the posts lined up with some of the distant tree trunks. Thanks for calling it to my attention. I'll try to think of a way to deal with it.

Thanks for all the appreciative comments folks. I've been working exclusively in acrylics for the last 3 months and I'm struggling a bit with watercolour as a result. I'd forgotten that when you work on wet paper how strong the washes have to be - they become much much lighter as they dry out. I had to rewet and apply 3 separate washes to the sky before I got the colour strength I wanted.

Applying colour onto wet paper is still the best way to lay in a sky though you're assured of soft cloud edges once you get it right. Its the David Curtis method so it's gor to be sound!

Hi Rob,

This is beautiful, Rob. very atmospheric. I hope you're well.

(claphands) (claphands)

Very well thank you Florence - nice to hear from you. Been much preoccupied with the LAS Spring exhibition. Hope you can get to see it - details on the website. Hope you're still painting.

Wonderful painting, Rob. I just love the misty distance and the colours of the pheasants. Beautiful painting. thssupp

Pheasants round here must have radar because every time I have tried to get a photo or sketch them they shoot off incredibly quickly. It's like they know! :lol:

Missed this one. Why can't I think of doing things like this ie picture things added and taken away. That 3xpheasant is good. They were in the roads alot round here in April. Saw a couple of cocks squaring up at each other; they were oblivious to the car! Overall a nice painting.