Mike's conservatory (1 Viewer)

[Woody]

I've spent the majority of the day working away at my BBC comp painting but I fancied something with a bit more freedom this evening.

I've been completely blown away by Tim's wavescapes and so thought I'd give something similar a go. I started with a large vodka and coke and no real idea what I was doing, I just tried to let the brush and the paint do all the work. It was great fun just letting loose and seeing what happened.

Lately I've been watching wigeon out on the Swale in awful, windy and cold conditions so, once the waves felt done, I added three just to provide a bit of interest and this is what I ended up with.

Wigeon riding the Swale.

Mike

 

[nickderry]

well you ended up with a real treat for the eyes that's for sure - whatever you make of this (sometimes it's difficult to evaluate something that breaks away from what we usually do) I see a great deal of expression, the birds in their element, superb. I've always wondered why vodka isn't sold in art shops!

 

[Woody]

well you ended up with a real treat for the eyes that's for sure - whatever you make of this (sometimes it's difficult to evaluate something that breaks away from what we usually do) I see a great deal of expression, the birds in their element, superb. I've always wondered why vodka isn't sold in art shops!

Alongside the absinthe! :-O B

I'm really pleased with the result actually, I may try something similar on a larger scale at a later date. The main thing was me trying to not be afraid of the canvas and paint and painting more or less by instinct which, it seems to me, is what you, Ed and Tim do so well. It's one of the best things about being part of this forum and cyber-chatting with other artists, I reckon we all learn from one another and that has to be a good thing.

Mike

 

[Andrew H]

What a great painting, Granted that its not your normal type, but what a great entry into a new arena...Theres loads of life and energy in that water, the colours are spot on, and with the wigeon battling the elements, makes for a 'spot on' painting..
Why isnt alcohol sold in art shops..? It certainly helped to get the energy into those waves..8-P
And I think your absolutly correct, we do take inspiration and ideas off each other to a certain extent, I dont think I would have been brave enough to advance to where Im at, without the words of wisdom found here from the subscribers, (Thats you lot out there..), and a certain amount of cajouling from you (Mike).
So....a great new arena has opened up...with loads of new fresh and powerful ideas to come methinks.

 

[timwootton]

Quite simply wonderful, Mike - well done. The colours are rich, yet transparent and the whole scene trickles with fluid light - love it. Worth pursuing this theme for a while I suspect.
Just been back for another eyeful of gorgeousness and had to add the extra remark that the bird almost totally hidden by the wavelet is a lovely touch - very real. Topper!

 

[jomo]

Brilliant, Mike! They look lost at sea, you've done a superb job of seeing them dwarfed by their surroundings. And you'll have to tell me how you get them to bob so naturally on the surface on the water. You can really feel that wind whipping the waves as well. Superb.

 

[desgreene]

Great painting Mike. I may have to get some vodka in if this is what it does for you!

 

[Woody]

Well thanks all, it was actually a pleasure to paint this little piece. Sometimes when you see stuff out and about it kind of sticks with you somehow and that really helps when trying to paint it. It just confirms the importance of fieldwork.

Mike

 

[Woody]

I missed out on my Elmley trip last week as I had to get up to London to see my daughter appear in her West End debut! (I might have mentioned it!).

This week however we did get out and even though the weather was a bit flat it was good to get out. A barn owl was seen over one of the fields by the marshes on the lower road which made a good start to the day. Wigeon numbers are at their highest at the moment as they get ready to move north for the breeding season. A single blackwit put in an appearance on the scrape amongst the wigeon and I spotted a merlin way, way off in the distance. I managed a couple of little scribbles but mainly I just enjoyed a good walk!

I'm pretty near to finishing my BBC comp pic, good job I am really, considering the deadline! It's a subject I'm familiar with, loads of detail and way too 'safe' to win anything but I figure you have to play to your strengths so what the heck.

Whilst I've been in the studio it's been great to watch some blue tits checking out my new nestbox by the window, I just hope they decide it's a desirable property and move in for the summer!

Mike

 

[Strandman]

I'm not sure how I missed the Wigeon on Swale- but what a grand belated surprise. It probably isn't very PC of me to invoke punt-gunning on this forum, but it very much reminds me of the old engravings of wary and distant Brents and Wigeon on choppy n wintry East coast waters.

 

[Apodemus]

I'm not sure how I missed the Wigeon on Swale- but what a grand belated surprise. It probably isn't very PC of me to invoke punt-gunning on this forum, but it very much reminds me of the old engravings of wary and distant Brents and Wigeon on choppy n wintry East coast waters.

Don't worry, I've always suspected that most forum members are secret punt-gunners on the side.


Lovely field sketches, as always

 

[timwootton]

What a superb pair of sketchsheets, Mike. Just out of this world and amongst the very best field drawings I've ever seen.
Excellent!
Oh, and what's this about the West End???? Pray tell.

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

Super sketches Mike

 

[nickderry]

this is among your finest fieldwork - so well observed, you could take all the pattern off the wigeon and shoveler and they'd still be identifiable on shape alone.

 

[EliS]

Seriously? These are field sketches? They are so good it's hard to believe they've been made in field!

The lappies on the previous page are splendid, I can feel the wind (as can the lapwings).

Elina

 

[Woody]

Well thanks all, I was rather feeling the lack of sketching practice when I did them, that's why they're stationary birds!

Funny enough Nick the shoveler was done quickly to demonstrate to Andy H how I start sketching by looking through the scope and drawing shapes without looking at the paper, just so I can get a basic idea of how the shapes 'feel' to my hand.

Beth's been dancing since she turned six years old, she's 13 now. She's been with the same dance school since the start and she now also does singing and drama so she's quite the little performer. The dance school got offered the opportunity to put on a couple of routines at the Shaftsebury theatre (where hairspray is currently playing) for a thing called the young performers' variety show and Beth jumped at the chance. She did a 'rock chick' routine to 'We will rock you/I love rock n' roll' and a showgirl one to 'Copa cabana'. It cost me a bl**dy fortune but it was worth every penny. She's considering making a career as a performer, (she's mostly interested in musical theatre), so any appearance on the west end stage goes down well on a CV!

Mike

 

[chris3871]

I missed these sketches- glad I've seen them now though. The blackwit is brilliant and so are the ducks, but there's something about the blackwit especially, just like the real thing.

Congratulations on you daughter's new found stardom.

 

[Woody]

A good trip out today, even blessed with half hour's sunshine. Still bl**dy cold though! And the clouds weren't far behind the sun.

Bird of the day has to have been the female hen harrier, even if she was only seen briefly as she hunted over the sea wall. The skylarks are singing, the hares are beginning to follow each other around and the wigeon flocks seem smaller, spring is underway.

On the scrape the ringed plovers are getting awkward with one another and there's quite a lot of chasing going on. With the tide incoming there was more activity on the scrape, turnstone, dunlin, redshank, lapwing, pintail, oystercatcher, ringed plover, teal, wigeon, mallard and coot topped off with a pied waggy or two and marsh harriers regularly flying by. One black headed gull had lost the battle with the elements and a ringed plover took an interest in the body, presumably attracted by the flies that were probably in attendance. It looked odd, the plover seemed almsot to sidle up to the corpse as if curious to look but wondering if the gull would wake up.

Mike

 

[timwootton]

Another fruitful trip Mike - my favs are the bobbing plover, perfectly seen, and the plover with bhg carcass. You've made a beautiful study and instilled it with immense character - fine work.

 

[ARTHUR BISHOP]

Love the sketches Mike