Drawing Inspiration – Top Knot Pigeon – Ellen Lee Osterfield
Ilove these delightful little birds! they are always so busy, whether it is looking for food or for a suitable partner! The male loves to do his fan dance, quite often to an un interested female!
This pair happened to be enjoying some seed that was scattered from the top of our Avery roof by some over enthusiastic Galahs!
Step 1
I have air brushed the background with a Viridian and Cadmium yellow mix on one side and a Lilac and Permanent Violet mix on the other. I have chosen both of these colours to create a tonal balance as both of these colours feature in the wing feathers of the bird.’ I have also decided to paint in one of the birds at an early stage to give me a palette to work from to achieve the correct over all tones.
Step 2
After many years of trying to get one of my favourite flowers to grow and flower, with no success, I have painted in the beautiful Wisteria using reference photos I have in my collection. I love the cascade of Violet and blue tones as it drapes down over the grey coloured stone wall. All of these colours have been carefully chosen to blend perfectly with the colours in the birds. I have used Violet, Ultramarine blue, and white for the flowers. The leaves were painted with a mix of Viridian, Lemon yellow and Yellow ochre with a little white added, and Ultramarine added to the leaf colour for the shadow areas. For the stone wall I have used Ultramarine blue, Burnt umber, Violet and White.
Step 3
The background needed some interest and I wanted to create depth in the painting so I have added the gate and pathway. I have purposely kept these colours subdued so as not to lose the impact of the birds in the foreground. Sometimes if you create too much interest in the background you can lead the viewers eye right out of the picture!
Step 4
The second bird (as with the first) is painted with a mix of Ultramarine blue, a very small amount of Ivory black, Violet, Rose Madder and white. These birds are not simply grey, they have amazing colours in the wing feathers as well! For this area I have used varying mixes of Viridian, Violet, Rose madder, Raw Sienna and Lemon yellow. I have used a dry brush to dab on some Violet over the Viridian and some Peacock
blue into the Violet to achieve that rainbow sheen that these feathers reflect when the light hits them.
I love the bright pink legs on these lovely birds! they almost look as though they have tights on! Some Rose madder and Opera achieved this colour.
Step 5
Details of the rocks and grasses are added, all using mixes of the colours I have used so far for the stone wall and birds. As the light is coming in from the right hand side the shadows are casting to the left. Light washes of these colours are keeping the background soft and blending in nicely.
Step 6
The painting has been put aside and I have added some delicate fluffy feathers on the front of the birds, and some fine details outlining the main wing feathers using white. Some more shading on the stone wall and Wisteria was needed and some more shading on the path, I have also increased the intensity of the background colours slightly. A signature is added and the painting is. Complete! Happy painting! ■