Getting back into the swing of things…



Back in the Studio...

I have been away from my studio for several weeks now and am just now getting back into the swing of things. I have a painting started on my easel but have away from it for so long now that I’m not sure where I left off. So with that in mind I am getting back to work not standing at my easel but sitting at my drafting table working on a drawing of a White Pelican.

I captured the reference for this while I was out visiting Lovetts Gallery in Tulsa, Oklahoma last March. I was told that Bald Eagles had been spotted up at Keystone dam and that is why I had drove to the dam. I was pleasantly surprised to see five white Pelicans, instead of the Eagles, at the base of the spill way looking for some breakfast. This was my first time actually observing White Pelicans in the wild and was thrilled to have the chance to capture some reference, actually a lot of reference!

The image below is the beginning of my new drawing of one of the White Pelicans. This piece was begging to be done in graphite and not paint!



Little fact about White Pelicans:

The American White Pelican occurs mainly in western and southern portions of North America, breeding inland in colonies on remote islands and wintering along warm southern coasts. The species is of particular interest because of its large body size, conspicuous white and black coloration, graceful flight, highly developed cooperative foraging, and the somewhat comic proportions of its large bill and pouch.

-The Birds of North America, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.


Comments

  1. I posted a painting of white pelicans on my art-blog site. They are wonderful birds of character to paint or even to sit and watch for that matter. We have a Protected Pelican nesting area in Alberta so we've been lucky to watch them soar and ride the thermals above their protected island. They hang out on the lakes and rivers here so its not unusual to view one in spring and summer.

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  2. Teresa, you are very fortunate to have easy access to them. I am use to Brown Pelicans since I live near the East Coast. When I saw these I was in Tulsa, OK and probably sat there for 3 hours watching them. I have some pretty good shots of them soaring too that I would like to paint in the future.

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