Friday, May 12, 2023

Painting birds with inexpensive and expensive paints...

The Bateleur is a snake eagle. I painted him with FolkArt brand matte acrylic paints.

 I painted the owl using M. Graham and Winsor & Newton gouache paints.

This morning while I was holding my goose Sam on my lap I watched a very large bumble bee sniffing the flowers on the gill-over-the-ground that was growing near us. The bee was so heavy with pollen that he bumbled down into the short stems of the plant and had a hard time pulling his large body out of the flowers!

I hope you are having a nice spring...
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14 comments:

sirkkis said...

How nice to here about you Debra😀
Your painting is just gorgeous. Love it 😍

Valerie-Jael said...

Your paintings are fab*u*lous!! Wow! I would have liked to see that bee! Have a great weekend, take care, hugs, Valerie

https://linsartyblobs.blogspot.com said...

Fabulous bird paintings.

kathyinozarks said...

Hi Debra, I Love your bird paintings very much and the bee with heavy pollen sounds like another painting-hugs It has been a nice spring here this week-bits of rain here and there and we got out of those 90's f for now too.
Happy weekend hugs

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Very nice work, the owl is very wise old owl.
Two beautiful days of perfect weather here.

Becki said...

That pollen-covered bee must have been quite a sight. I love your bird paintings, Debra. While I wonder if you have a preferred paint, I think both pictures look beautiful.

Hill Top Post said...

How wonderful to see new works of art here. Both paintings are amazing no matter the medium. Fat bumblebees must mean that spring is full throttle in your neck of the woods. I think of you and your wonderful gardens a lot these days.

Debra said...

I think the gouache is my fav. I like to use "better" paint just because of the pigments. The FolkArt paints and other like them always have multiple pigments (and are never listed on the bottles) so it's impossible to mix colors and get a good outcome. But the cheaper paints are easy to use on the spur of the moment. I only have a dozen or so colors of the less expensive paints-all my most used colors.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Sorry I am late visiting, Debra. Typing one handed has really slowed me. Both of your birds are beautiful. I have never used gouache, but you make it look PERFECT. The folk art paints are inexpensive, but work nicely. My favorite paint (and I am NOT a painter) is Golden's fluid acrylic. Pricey, but you need only a tiny amount. You can turn them into watercolors with half water, half acrylic. Regardless, both your birds are amazing!

Debbie Nolan said...

Debra - you are back - so glad. Wow your birds are absolutely wonderful. I hope you are having a great spring also. Take care and have a delightful weekend friend. Hugs!

DVArtist said...

Wow!!!!! These are spectacular. You have such a touch with the paint to create these. I hope you link up with FFO today. Have a lovely day.

Yesteryear Embroideries said...

Both of your bird painting is lovely! You have such talent! You made me chuckle reading about the bumble bee!

Eggs In My Pocket said...

Beautiful , beautiful! You are so talented!

artbyjune said...

Gorgeous bird paintings!