I thought I’d put up some pictures of the Harris Hawk oil painting I’m trying to find time to work on. I started this a year or so ago! The underpainting shown below, has been sitting around in my studio so patiently waiting for more! It’s done with wet burnt umber then I wiped off to ‘draw’ the bird on the canvas. A very nice, freeing technique, you just concentrate on the shapes like you should.
Then below, I start what’s called the dead color stage, flat blocked in areas of color as close to the final color as possible.
Below you can see me, wow do I look serious or what? I decided to hold the palette this time, sometimes I put it on my custom biult (by me) painting tower. But I like having the colors right there in my hand so to speak, for mixing and direct painting onto canvas. 
This is it so far…shapes are looking good, colors too. I have to decide what I’ll do with the sky or background.
I love it, Mary! You know so many great techniques. For someone who has the appreciation, but not the knowledge of how to do these things, I am awestruck! By the way, I like your Lady in the Green Hood, too! Is it you? I feel like I see you in so many of your paintings. By the way, before I read about it, I knew the one picture of your mom was your mom. You do an amazing job of “capturing” people. -K