Wednesday, 9 February 2011

1st winter Collared Flycatcher at Spurn

I have to admit the following bird was one of the hardest things I have ever had to illustrate. I usually do a few draft illustrations prior to finishing something that I feel comfortable with and allow to go to print.

However with this particular bird I must have done several sketches before I even began to like the look of what I had drawn.

With a bird as subtle as this meant I had to mainly base my work on photo reference and compiled the sketch from a medley of several images. This piece is not going to print in Yorkshire Birding but this is one that I feel relatively happy with and think it conveys Collared Flycatcher rather than Pied Fly.

It is slightly tilted which tends to happen when birds are in the hand resulting from the bird being off balance and being unable to readjust its weight accordingly resulting from the legs being held in situ.

I have uploaded three scans of the same illustration and will upload the one I decided to use in Yorkshire Biridng once it goes to print.





Siberian Rubythroat

During the winter I was commisioned to illustrate this 1st winter Female Siberian Rubythroat that turned up on Fair Isle on the 23rd of October 2005



It was for a christmas present for the one of the observers who identified the bird around midway on a magical Fair Isle day.

Done and Dusted!

I have just received these images from Deryk of the picture up on the wall for people to enjoy!






For me there is nothing more rewarding...Awesome Stuff.