Third Warbler: The American Redstart

This completes my triptych (actually just a trio) of warblers for the month of August.  I plan to frame this to go with my Audubon Carolina Parrots.

Bird Month: Warblers

I am hoping to have time before the end of month to make this a trio of warblers.  Here are the first two. (Back to watercolor.)

Tennessee Warbler

Northern Parula Warbler

Bird Month: Black and White

My group is doing birds for the month of August.  I started with graphite.  I used pastel and ink along with the graphite for the Sanderling.

Sanderling

Wild Goose

Northern Mockingbird

This is a portrait of Arnie, the anole who has been visiting me regularly for about three years now.  He comes to my front window, looks in at me and does his gorgeous throat display.  During the spring and summer he does this at least daily and sometimes several times a day.  I believe he winters under the hose reel and re-emerges with the warm weather.  I hope he will continue, but their life span is about three years and never more than six.  Isn't he beautiful?

Portrait in colored pencil on hot pressed watercolor paper.

Three Pink Flowers

I have finished the three pinks.  They are ready for framing and I have the perfect place for them.

Pelargonium

Cyclamen persicum

Hydrangea

Magnolia Study

My group is looking at trees this month.  I have chosen the Southern Magnolia, iconic in this part of the country.  Often used in bridal bouquets, the white flowers are symbolic of beauty and purity.

Fossil records reveal that the tree existed at least 100 million years ago...long before the appearance of bees.  Thus the trees were pollinated by beetles and that is still the method today.  The Mordellidae beetle (or flower tumbling beetle), shown here 5 times actual size, is just one of several known to perform this activity.

These trees live about 100 years and can grow to enormous size as shown by the picture taken of my friend Pat at historic Brattonsville, SC.

Cyclamen Finished!

The cyclamen is done.  I think it will make a good companion piece for the Pelargonium.  Now I need a third so have started a pink Hydrangea.  Many, many petals to be pained individually.

Buddy

Sketched while I watched TV.  I did a portrait of his sister a year ago, and he has felt second class ever since.

Eastern Towhee

Saw these up north all the time, but this is my first South Carolina sighting.  Had to capture it in my sketchbook.

Cyclamen persicum

This  originally by Jennifer Jenkins SBA.  Watercolor 11x15" work in progress.

2018 Off to a Slow Start

I got hung up on an experiment with acrylics that so far is a complete failure.  So I fell back into my comfort zone and produced these two watercolors.

I love the colors in the hydrangea (followed a tutorial by Billy Showell).  And the little Blue Tit just makes me smile.  So...on to the next thing.  Just need to figure out what that should be.