This watercolor was commissioned by a lady for her husband’s 80th birthday! He loves groundhogs (just like me) and she really liked the groundhogs I had sketched on my blog this past summer, so she asked me to do a painting. Here’s the finished painting and below it I’ll share the stages of painting as I worked on it, along with how I changed or corrected areas as I went.
my set up 1
Above is my set up, an artists’ table easel box type thing that you can put oils paints in underneath, I have it filled with color pencils at the moment. I like it because you can change the angle to work on, I altered it though by drilling holes right up the front panel so I can change the height of the little shelf that you put your painting on while you work. (Yes, I love using my power drill!)
my watercolor pan palette
When I work on little watercolors, I like to keep my palette of colors close to the work. The paint dries out quickly in the tiny brushes so it helps to have it all close by. I set my pan of colors on a little wooden box and I can keep other supplies in here instead of all over my table. This pan is also what I use in the field, I have so many colors in it, I really don’t need to set up my big huge palette that I use in my studio for big paintings. When I worked on the painting, I had several pictures of groundhogs to the left of it for my reference, I used sticky tack (blue tack) to hold things in place on the Plexiglas surface.
my set up 2
I really created this set up because I wanted to work where the wood stove was, right in the middle of my living room. You can see the cold snow outside my window! So it’s like my little studio island, a plastic table 4′ x 2′, complete with laptop, small lamp, bundles of color pencils and some other piles of ’stuff’. (ahmm…there’s a dark chocolate bar hidden in the box too, well you know, gotta keep the ‘ol strength up!)
groundhog 1
This is the first stage of the painting, a light pencil sketch that I lighten first by tapping over it with a kneaded rubber eraser. Before I started I decided to make this a 5 x 7″ painting to fit a standard mat, so I lightly trace the inside of an 8 x 10 mat (5 x 7″ opening). Then I wash in a simple background of trees and start to place the long grasses and dandelions I want around this plump little groundhog.
groundhog 2 blocking shape
I like to try to keep some spontaneity in my paintings especially in the backgrounds. Here’s a little trick you can try to keep it loose while protecting areas; I grab a piece of paper or plastic to block or protect an area. This piece was just the right curve for his back, when it’s covered I can very freely stroke my brush right over the area with out it looking contrived and stiff.
groundhog 3 blocking shape
You can see above the protected area of his back.
groundhog 4
In “groundhog 4″ I have laid in some light body washes and beginning some fur areas, starting on the darker areas first. Notice I have left a light ‘cut out’ looking edge to him, this is so I can go back later and stroke color into it to make it look like fur, but also he’ll stand out a bit from the background. I also started to push the darks around the grass blades in the front left.
groundhog 5
In “groundhog 5″ you can see I darkened around the dandelions, added some grasses in front and also added some more tone and fur strokes on his body. Keep looking for the dark and light areas of his body; sometimes you show this by adding strokes or by adding whole washes to an area. If you look at his tail here I want to point out that I didn’t just paint in a tail shape, I put dark bits around where the grass went over it and it looks much more natural.
groundhog 6
In “groundhog 6″ you can see I have put a light wash of green in the background, then washes of brown in the foreground. I then added more grasses and darks around the dandelions, foreground and his body. I developed the arm and shoulder area more now, also added more to the head.
groundhog 7
I developed the grasses around him in “groundhog 7″, pushing the darks in places.
Now I’ll show you some close up pictures of parts of the painting as I did corrections. I find it interesting to look back on how I changed things and I know my readers really like to see this, you can learn a lot by looking at how another painter reworks things to correct them.
correcting the back 1
When I painted more of the grasses in I was able to see his back silhouette better; I then realized that it looked too straight. So I gently re-wet the area along the edge (above) and rubbed a bit with my brush to lift the color then I blotted it with a clean paper towel. I repeat this as many times as nessesary to lift what I need to, you can’t always lift everything though!! Take care also not to lift other areas.
correcting the back 2
To reshape the back I carefully put down the dark green grass colors further out from the original back line. (above) Then you have to soften where needed so it all looks ‘right’ together.
Below I show a close up of an area that when I thought I had finished the painting, I looked back and decided to fix. That blade of grass pointing at his head looked ok in the beginning when it was lighter, but now was too strong.
blades of grass 1
Below is the area that I changed.
blades of grass final
Here’s some close ups of the head as I changed it. The mouth I found difficult to do, it was a give and take between showing details and sort of softening them, but then that’s the essence of painting! Notice the careful biulding of darks on the head to shape it’s 3 Dimensional feel, the changing of the black area of the mouth and the developing of the dark area under the jaw.
Head close up #1
Head close up #2
Head close up #3
#4 Final head close up
I ended up going over the entire head at the end and added darks here and there…sculpting until it looked just right.
Once again here is the painting finished and ready for it’s new owner!
"Groundhog" finished
The original is sold but SHOP for gifts, note cards, prints, t-shirts etc with this image on it in my Zazzle shop! Go to www.zazzle.com/marymcandrew*This will take you to my shop where my artwork and designs are listed, go to the Small Mammals folder to find the groundhog designs or just type Groundhog into the search box. You can add your own text to customize gifts! If you want it on something you don’t see, just email me to ask!
Here’s a very small sketch (4″x5″) that I did outside in the freezing cold. The sun had set and twilight time was coming, when the snowy landscape takes on a bluish cold tone. I tried to use my waterbrush but the water was freezing on the paper too fast and in the bristles! So I used my permanent ink pen and that was scraping the ice off the paper, I had to laugh a bit, I’ve never tried to watercolor when it was this cold. I colored it inside after thawing my fingers out.
Below I included the small page of notes that I wrote about the sketch.
Just some little sketches from my field book. I pick up leaves just like so many people do, I can’t help it, they call to me from the ground all wet and shiny and brilliant colors. Each one calls, “Pick me up, pick me!” I end up with a pile tucked into my sketchbook where they get nicely pressed but I usually only have time to get one done before they lose their vibrant color. That’s what happened here, I wanted to use my watercolor pencils (and waterbrush) to test colors it would take and the second day when I went to finish it the leaf had already faded quite a bit.
European Goldfinches
The Goldfinches were neat, they kept landing in the long grass in front of my window and eating the dandelion seeds from the seed heads. It was funny to see this one bird with a seed sticking out of his beak, he’s twirl it around from one side of his beak to the other, it looks like a cigarette in the sketch! I used my watercolor pencils for this too, with a waterbrush.
Hi folks, just passing on some great news, I have three paintings I submitted to be juried for the Miniature Painters, Sculptors + Gravers Society in Washington DC and all were accepted! Yay! The three paintings I entered are following, click on each to see them larger in my gallery and more details about each. I even have links there to blog posts about how I painted them, have a look!
Here is a direct quote from their website about the society: “The Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society of Washington, DC, (MPSGS) was founded in 1931 by Alyn Williams (1865-1941), a well-known portrait miniaturist. The MPSGS is the oldest Miniature Art Society in the U.S. It is the second oldest in the world next to the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers in London, England–the world’s first Miniature Art Society also founded by Mr. Williams. The Inaugural Exhibition of the MPSGS of Washington, DC, was held at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in December 1931. The Society has held exhibitions annually for 71 years with the exception of the years 1932 and 1942.”
Let me know if you live in the DC area and are going to the show. I’ll be unable to attend as I’ll still be in England.
Today we visited Howdiemont Sands beach along the coast of the North Sea in Northumberland England. We walked across Sugar Sands and climbed up to a point where we could view the point at Howick Haven. I wanted to sit and try to do a small watercolor landscape so I bundled up and brought the usual field kit.
Water color painting "View of Howick Haven"
Here’s the finished painting, I did most in the field sitting on top a windy, grassy cold hill. I’ll share the photographs with you of what I saw and tell you a bit about how I did the little painting.
We walked along this beach
When you first arrive at Howdiemont Sands you can choose to walk either right or left. We chose left because it was new to us and we always wonder at what new views might be found or other discoveries.
Sugar Sands
The beach here (called Sugar Sands) is unbelievable, a pretty color of ’sand’ shade, (hahah…) clean, soft and inviting even on a cold sunny October day. You can see many other people and their dogs found the beach irresistible today too.
Bird tracks
There were lots of interesting bird tracks too, gulls leave a track with a little web foot. This one? It was big and looked like it would drag it’s front toe in the sand when it stepped; I wish I knew what it was.
Looking back at Sugar Sands
Here’s a view looking back on the beach we crossed, sometimes you have to go up over the grassy banks to get past areas that are under water still.
The red rocks below me
This is looking down from where I decided to paint, how beautiful the patterns and colors are in these rocks. As the tide continues to go out the rocks will be more exposed.
View from my painting spot
This is the gorgeous view from where I decided to sit, light was fading fast and I had to pick a place quick. It’s really hard to pick a scene when there’s so much to see around you. It helps to hold up your hands and make a little opening like a rectangle and pretend that’s your paper. Move your hands around until you find a cropped scene that you like.
View I painted
Because I wasn’t working really big I tried to limit what I was going to paint, also I didn’t have tons of time with the sun leaving soon as it was about 4:30pm when we arrived.
my sketch
I sat on a picnic blanket with a waterproof bottom, wore my wind/rain pants over my regular pants, this helped to cut the cold and wind. I also had on my fingerless gloves as usual, sorry no picture today! I’m using a homemade sketchpad that I created so it would be extra long. It’s great for landscapes! I worked with my field pan and regular watercolor brushes, usually when in the field I use my waterbrush. I don’t like the waterbrush for larger works needing big washes of color. You can see in the picture a baggy just off the blanket, tucked into the grass. I forgot a watercup to rinse my brushes in, so I used a baggy with some water in it, it worked great!!
My watercolor field pan
This is the painting/sketch laid out at home, you can see this is how far I got with it in the field. The pan watercolors I used is an old metal kit that I popped the large pans out of and replaced with half pans of Windsor Newton brand paints. I use a bit of sticky tack or blue tack to hold each one in place and you can see the handles on my brushes are cut, so I can fit more “things” in it. I brought that one long brush with me and used only that to do all this so far.
My set up to finish from photo at home
Now I set up my laptop with a photo I took while there, and worked on details with smaller brushes while looking at it. I didn’t touch the sky, just left it the way I did it in the field. If you start to mess around with all of it, it can get stiff looking. Notice I put my coffee on the left side…if your right handed, water should go on that side and you don’t want to be dipping into your coffee by mistake! So, I worked on trees and details of that main area; I also used a razor blade to scrape fine lines for the white fence. Also, you may have noticed a funny looking cone shape that looks like a child’s’ painting of a tree? It’s a recreation of one of the oldest ‘houses’ in Britain probably from the Bronze age. Remains of one were found on this very spot! They made their homes from tree limbs in a sort of tee pee style, with turf for the roofing material. I’ll try to find a link about it to add here.
Go here to see the finished painting in the GALLERY.
I am not sure when I started to be fascinated by mushrooms and fungi, but when I go hiking I find I’m always stopping to notice them tucked away under branches, logs or leaves. Sometimes they’re right in front of you on the sides of dead or dying trees or right on the path, or they may be hiding waiting for your keen eye to catch them.
I spotted this pair right in the lawn (that needed cutting!) and what an interesting mushroom. My best guess is a “Shaggy Ink Cap”. I wondered why it was named that until I saw it a few days later.
Shaggy Ink Cap watercolor sketch
I did this little sketch with just watercolors, I wanted to avoid doing a careful pencil sketch and just kind of block in some green to form the light shapes of the mushrooms. I used a waterbrush which is handy but can be a bit limiting; it’s not as easy to mix quick pools of color in your pan and you must have a paper towel handy to clean between colors. Also I usually use just the one size waterbrush when doing a quick sketch so you use it to make wide and narrow lines or marks. The challenge on this set of fungi was the shaggy part, how to paint it without fussing too much? The “shags” were light and pointy, really their form was created by the darks around them…above and below. If I was doing a careful study I’d spend more time on that feature.
Me working on the sketch
Here’s a picture of me working to show my set up; I’m sitting on my blue foam pad because the grass is damp and chilly, it was early morning still. It’s not the best posture for someone with a ‘bad’ back, no support, but what are you going to do? That’s partly why I worked so fast, I get achy!
Looking over my shoulder
You can see my new little field kit there, I use it as a purse and carry my bare essentials for field sketching. The art supplies take presedence I have to admit…no make-up just some money, credit card and the rest is for drawing! My motto, “Be Prepared”! I’m holding the watercolor pan in my left hand, waterbrush in the other. I have regular brushes in the pan in case I want to use them or have water with me.
Shaggy Ink Cap
This is how it looked the day I painted it.
Two days later
And this is just two days later, I was shocked! I guess that’s where it gets it’s name, INK cap. It was eerie looking, dripping black goo, like it had melted.
Two days later close-up
I would like to learn more about this, and why it does that. Any of my readers know?… leave me a comment please. I didn’t have a chance to draw it at this stage, been too busy going off on hikes. I have been photographing many types of mushrooms, my favorite so far is the Fly Agaric…bright red cap with white flecks on it. I hope to do a painting of that one too.
The feeling of standing on top of a cliff with the wind blowing through your hair, out to the North Sea, can really clear your mind, your body and your soul.
Standing on Scottish Soil
Leave behind all worries, breath deep and let go, (just don’t let go of that nice shawl that you’re holding as the wind whips!)
Clear your mind, your body and your soul.
The beginning of any good journey should have some time to assimilate and absorb, relax into the moment and be happy.
Breath deep and let go!
Don’t just rush into it with a vengeance, you’re probably too tired from the flight anyways!
We had fun shooting these pictures on the drive down from Edinburgh to Northumberland. The day was windy, cloudy and cold, but it felt so good to be out in the fresh air and know that I was there at last. My wonderful boyfriend Gary shot these photos of me, he shares my love of nature and the countryside.
Town of St. Abbs on Scottish east coast
On our drive we stopped at some small port towns, watching the fishermen’s boats and thinking of how tough that life must be. This is in the town of St. Abbs in Berwickshire Scotland, in what they call the Scottish Borders.
St. Abbs Wildlife Reserve
Then we stopped at St. Abbs Wildlife Reserve along the coast. It’s very exposed but popular for bird watching and seeing the beautiful cliffs. We sat for awhile in the car looking out to take a break from the cold wind, while we sat I spotted a Stoat just running along the top of the bank you see in the photo. Gary said it’ll be after rabbits, it was an attractive animal, one worth doing a little painting of.
Stepping closer to the edge
We walked around and then closer to the edge, being very careful of course! The water was a gorgeous deep aqua blue color and the cliffs were a flurry of activity from the birds coming and going.
A row of Kittiwakes on the cliff face
A nice neat row of gulls. At first glance I thought these were black headed gulls in winter plumage because they have the tell tale spot behind the ear. (Ah…didn’t wash behind the ears, don’t tell mom!) But when I looked in my field guide (“The Hamlyn Guide to Birds of Britain and Europe”) I saw that they have yellow legs and a light beak. When you bird watch the fun part is deciphering the markings of birds and figuring out what kind of bird it’s NOT. Process of elimination many times is what works. See more description below.
Immature Kittiwake
Kittiwake immature + adult
At first it looks like two different species of birds, but the one in the forground is an immature and the one behind is an adult, both Kittiwakes. They have both have black feet, the immature has a partial ring around the back of it’s neck a black spot behind the ear and a black beak; the adult has a yellow beak. It’s like solving a puzzle, that’s why I like birding. Though I am NO expert by far, especially at shore birds as I don’t get to see them often. But I like to show how you can enjoy them and figure out what kind they are by looking up clues in your field guide or going online to search.
More of the northeast coastline
Well here’s one last photo of the coast.
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Hi folks, I wanted to get this page of sketches up before I embark upon my ‘Big Journey’ to England! I’ll be blogging and posting away while I’m there, hopefully getting access to a scanner so I can put up my sketches I’ll do as I go. I hope you sign up your email in the post “Subscribe” box in the right column, then you’ll see my new paintings and read about my adventures. But, for now, check out my Groundhog!
Woodchuck studies
Very early in the morning I saw a Groundhog or Woodchuck (known as both) nosing around in the back yard. It was well before Ginger was up so this plump furry one was eating, I noticed it ate only what we’d consider weed plants, dandelion leaves and clover. All the little sketches I did from life while observing him foraging, looking down from my studio window on the second floor. I did them using a black watercolor pencil and waterbrush just to keep it simple. First I snapped a bunch of photos using my long lens and zoom, because he was far away, there was a dirty window and a screen and it was foggy…the pics are blurry a bit. BUT they are good enough to refer back to to notice details or general form shading. The bottom little painting I did from a photo, I sketched the general shape of him with pencil (graphite) while soaking in the tub. (haha yes, we must find any time possible to get work done!) Then the next day while visiting my dad in Endicott, NY I painted him from the photo using my watercolors and one waterbrush, as I sat chatting with the family. I’m pleased with how it came out, at the end I added some blue washes here and there and that’s what really made it look good, it was a chilly, foggy morning and his coat had that tint to it. They are actually a handsome little critter, study one next time you see one, they have a lovely reddish tone in some parts of their fur and their head is nice with the light area of the cheek and dark top.
Um..no he didn’t see his shadow…but anyways…
Don’t forget to visit my Galleries to have a look around and sign your email in the subscribe box on the blog, you can also sign up for my occasional emailed newsletter found in the left column. Have a great day!!
Just had to share some good news, today I sold one of my bird paintings! I have just recently decided to release this one, I painted it in 1985 and never really wanted to part with it. I met Shirley and she told me it really caught her eye and though I’ve had people desire to buy it before, I just never felt ready to let it go. Well, it’ll have a good home I think, both her and her husband love nature and art. I think she came to the right place then at my gallery as those are two things very important to me!
Shirley with her new painting!
The painting is done with soft pastels for the background and oil pastels for the bird. I was difficult to do the details in oil pastels but I chiseled off the tip of the crayon to make small marks. A light hand and building layers of color is important. Shirley asked about how it feels to part with a painting and commented on how hard it must be. I think an artist has to decide, some of their art they can keep forever or pass down to their loved ones, but it feels good to share what others see as a treasure and beautiful. I love sharing my love of my subjects, birds, horses, trees, nature and people.
Proud owner of a new painting
To see more bird paintings visit my gallery, I have four different sections in the bird gallery- birds of prey, owls, water birds and perching birds. Click here to visit. I also have interesting paintings with birds in my Fantasy Gallery and my Goddesses Gallery.
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Have you ever gone for a walk on a beautiful day, listening to all the wonderful birds singing around you, and there’s one that seems to be singing right in front of you, but won’t show itself? Sigh. That’s what happened today at the midpoint of my hike, standing quietly listening intently, trying to ’see’ this mystery bird. So, I think I found a new species, we’ll call it “Invisible Warbler” , perhaps with a Latin name of Invisibulus? Haha, anyone else seen signs of this bird? Well enjoy reading my pages below and the added photos, I’ll add a few notes here and there to explain.
This page from my sketchbook shows a quick watercolor sketch where I was standing. It’s a very wet area filled with these swamp type grasses or sedges and surprisingly I wasn’t bothered by mosquitoes here! As I stood painting, Ginger flushed two Woodcocks at separate times, I guess they like wet areas as they use their long beaks to probe the soil (mud) for worms. My dad said that’s why Woodcocks don’t taste good and I can attest to that! When he used to hunt we had some for dinner…very strong tasting meat. I remember he said they were also very challenging to hunt as they are a hard target; when I see one explode from the brush I can’t imagine how you could actually shoot one! ( I never would anyways!!)
Yellow Throat (2)
Now here’s one of my favorite warblers, a Yellow Throat. I still remember the first time I saw one down in Pennsylvania at Lake Sheridan.
Yellow Throat
He was so difficult to see in the brush, I’m just happy I got these two pictures though they are blurry! I really need to paint this warbler.
Burr
Did you know, the guy who invented “Velcro” got the idea from this little plant? Next time you see some prickly headed Burrs, take a closer look at it. You’ll notice the prickles have little hooked ends on them, not so nice when you go hiking and they stick all over your socks!
Hairy Woodpecker ?
I saw him on “Memory Lane”, heard his tapping before I saw him.
Flycatcher
I’m not very good at identifying Flycatchers, though I got a lot of great photos of this one if anyone wants to help me. Is it just a Phoebe? I found him by my pond.
Eyed Brown
I’m so excited about finding TWO new butterflies, for me that is! The first is this “Eyed Brown Butterfly”, a very simple and plain looking creature. Sometimes it’s looking closer at the ‘plain janes’ that you can appreciate their subtle colors and patterns. I like the combination of light brown with the dark brown spots and the rings with dots. If I was teaching children to notice this, it’d be fun to draw these dots and rings. Also notice the repeated lines of the veins on the wings, a nice pattern.
Eyed Brown (2)
Rose Breasted Grosbeak (fem. or juvenile)
This was a great capture! I was standing quietly on “Oak Lane” and saw him up on a branch at the edge of the woods adjoining a field. It looks like a gigantic sparrow if you were to compare it to something familiar, but notice the heavy beak. This is either a young Rose Breasted Grosbeak or a female, I’m not sure. I’d guess a young one because it looks so ruffled.
Rufus Sided Towhee (m)
Another favorite of mine, the Rufus Sided Towhee. I still remember the first time I saw one of these too, also at Lake Sheridan in Pa. So many great birding memories from Pennsylvania when I was a teenager! My family is originally from the Scranton area…I spent lots of time at Lake Wallenpaupak too…anyone familiar with these lakes?
Rufus Sided Towhee 2 (m)
Wasp
To get this picture, I was a lot farther away then it may seem! I used the zoom on my tiny Olympus camera to capture this one, I just love the pose…looks very elegant actually!
Common Wood Nymph (mating pair)
This is the second new butterfly discovery of the day for me, the “Wood Nymph”. This is a pair mating, I don’t know if the male of female is the larger one, but one was definitely larger and more pronounced markings. On closer look (in real life) the wings looking rather plain here were actually slightly irridescent and rather pretty.
Common Wood Nymph (mating pair) 2
Well I did not find that invisible warbler, let me know if you ever find one, maybe I can figure out a way to get a picture of him?? haha….
Please leave me your comments and if you may know any of the things I asked about…lets hear your thoughts!
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