Monday, November 23, 2009

Oil Painting: Chipping Sparrow

Here is an image of a 4" x 4" oil painting of a chipping sparrow after the first stage. I blocked in the colors and shadows while drawing the bird as best I could. I let it dry for a few days before going back into it and adding details.
This second image is the final painting. Overall, the middle and deep colors were lightened while the lighter areas were darkened. Surface detail was added with a very small brush. I also changed the background color slightly to match the cap better and to smooth out inconsistencies. The beak was tricky in that the original drawing was not off by much, but enough that it felt "added on" instead of being part of the bird's head.

I currently have a couple of chicken paintings and two landscapes hanging at The Grand Hand Gallery for their holiday show. Check out the gallery, it is a wonderful place for holiday shopping.

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