Java Junco, 2013
I brought “Java Junco” to NVAA general meeting this month. Clyde asked about my process in creating it. I worked from the 8×10 enlargement of a photo I snapped of this little gem out our kitchen window, but instead of sketching freehand from the photo, I TRACED its form onto the watercolor paper. This because, as I wrote in an earlier entry, some subjects for some audiences have to be dead-on accurate. My audience for the bird paintings is bird watchers. I hope to donate some of these pieces to the local WRC for fundraising purposes, for one thing.
My mother couldn’t enjoy a beautiful Yosemite landscape, say by Bierstadt, if she knew that things had been moved from their actual locations. “That’s not where those waterfalls are.” “You can’t see that from the valley floor.” Etc. It really bothered her. I silently criticized her limited understanding of artistic license but now I honor it.
I can sketch vegetables, flowers and other botanical subjects freehand. Landscapes are rather simple to compose this way also (though in honor of my mother, I try to be accurate with specific landmarks such as Elephant Mountain near Tomales Bay). But birds require a more accurate hand than I currently have for them. Last year I tried to sketch the Snowy Egret (see gallery) 3 times by hand before resorting to a grid to get the proportions down. I think I am able to sketch humans freehand more accurately than birds, thanks partly to attending NVAA’s Life Class. It also helps to be of the species I’m drawing. But birds are tricky in their specifics. The general shapes of circle for head, egg for body, narrow rectangle for tail will only take me so far. What about those feather markings? What about the eye ring? The specifics of its claws? I want to get these things right.
One other note on “Java Junco”: the title comes from the fact that the background began as 2-3 washes of old coffee that I’d saved just for this experiment. It’s a rich brown. I’ll use it again.
I attended an Audobon Society-sponsored talk at the library last evening that mentioned a bird journaling (and sketching) opportunity I will investigate. Maybe some day I’ll be able to get these important details down out in the field. That would be exciting.
garagepainting 