Ruffed Grouse

It is another hot and humid day with the actual temperature reaching a high of 81F (27.2C) feels like 97F (36.1C).

I didn't feel like doing too much outside so I worked on this drawing of a Ruffed Grouse that I had started last year (see post on 26 December 2014).

Fortunately, I had a lot of reference photographs to get the detail correct on the grouse.

One thing I learned was that if the band on the tail of a Ruffed Grouse is unbroken it is a male.

This original 9" x 12" graphite pencil drawing when matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $75.00.

Summertime

Although today is overcast with the promise of more rain and thunderstorms in the forecast it is a wonderful 72F (22C) with a breeze blowing which helps keep the mosquitoes away.

I received confirmation yesterday that one of my paintings "Through the Storm" (see posting on 19 April 2013) was accepted for the juried show at The Lindsay Gallery which is held 03-26 June 2014.

I wanted to paint today and came across this painting in my portfolio of a Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) that I had started many years ago.  It didn't need a lot of work for it to be finished as there were only that a few wild grape leaves on the fence rail that needed their final layer of colour.

After a couple hours of work on those leaves and a few other spots throughout the painting I was finally happy with the results.

I will continue to post the painting I finish each day during the course of the month. I hope you will return often to see the postings.

This original 15" x 22" watercolour painting when framed will be available for $1,480.00.

Ruffed Grouse - A Work in Progress

We have had more snow since yesterday and the temperatures continue to be below freezing so the ice coating on all the trees remains.

I wonder if we will ever get out of the freezing temperatures, but it sure does look pretty outside although we are having a bit of a heat wave with the temperature making it up to 20F (-6.7C) today.

One of my neighbours offered me the loan of his stuffed grouse over the Christmas season so I could make drawings of one of the many game birds that inhabit the area.

First I took a lot of photographs of the bird from almost every angle and light source.

Next I did a number of quick sketches of the grouse in different positions and with the ones I  preferred I started to tighten up the sketches and turn them into outline drawings.

I will post the outline drawing at a later date once I have decided on the one I like best.