Kildeer are beautiful little birds, and I love watching them on the shores of Lake Huron. In this painting, I wanted to re-create a sunny day with the kildeer in typical postures. I used my usual earth-toned palette, but added cerulean and a touch of cadmium yellow to it.
Category Archives: michigan painting
Yellow Legs in the Evening: Acrylic Painting
I saw this wonderful little bird in the marsh a few weeks ago. They stop here on their way north to Canada, and I always enjoy watching them feed in the evenings. This painting was done with acrylic, using my usual palette. I wanted to show the fiery glow on the still brown marsh plantsContinue reading “Yellow Legs in the Evening: Acrylic Painting”
Tundra Swans on Lake Huron in Michigan: oil painting
One of the most beautiful sights along the shores of Lake Huron in the winter are the swans. These beautiful birds float in small groups, and in the winter, look almost like small “ice chunks” when they dive their heads under water. I used a limited palette (burnt umber, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, titanium white,Continue reading “Tundra Swans on Lake Huron in Michigan: oil painting”
Lake Michigan: Symphony in Blue
I love painting water, and in this one, I wanted to play with the range of blues in the evening (I went semi-abstract). I used cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, cad. red light and titanium white; along with sap green and cad yellow light for the palette.
Birds of Michigan Series: Winter Partners
I love to paint birds, and winter scenes, so this painting combines these two. One is a sparrow, the other a chickadee. What I love about the sparrow is the fact that his posture reminds me of a “grumpy old man” sitting there on the bush. These guys came to the feeders last winter, andContinue reading “Birds of Michigan Series: Winter Partners”
Ferns
One thing I’ve discovered about living in Michigan that is VERY different from Texas is the ferns. They are everywhere, especially when you live in a state forest like I do. They grow like weeds here, but are pretty. I think that the ferns and moss (my lawn in the front is actually partially moss)Continue reading “Ferns”
How to Paint a Bird: Learning to make a video
A friend of mine has a videorecorder, and so the other day, I decided to try and make my first video. Here’s what I have to say about it: the adage “you learn from your mistakes” is certainly true! I DID learn a lot about what NOT to do, and so the next time IContinue reading “How to Paint a Bird: Learning to make a video”
Yellow Iris
Last spring, I took a picture of some iris in our garden; recently I finally got around to painting them. Here’s the picture:
Michigan Bird Series: Female Cardinal
Last spring my roomate took a picture of a female cardinal in the snow (yes, there was snow until April here; I thought I had moved to the land where winter never ends by the end of my first Michigan winter!) As I mentioned before, I love cardinals, so I decided to paint here. IContinue reading “Michigan Bird Series: Female Cardinal”
Michigan Birds: Cardinal
I love cardinals: their calls in the spring, their bright red against the snow, and the cheer they bring. Here is the first cardinal painting I have done; I plan to do another one in a week or so.
Michigan Lighthouse painting final
Here’s the finished painting. I added highlights in light blues, alizarin, and yellow ochre on the rocks and waves.
Stuffed Animals Portrait
I have a friend who likes to collect stuffed animals, and the other day she asked if I would paint four of her favorites. Of course I did; it was a ton of fun. I especially like how the bunny turned out. This is one of those whimsical paintings, quite a bit different from myContinue reading “Stuffed Animals Portrait”