Wren

Here I am, with my brush and paints, looking at a blank canvas! No, really, a blank canvas! The significance is that I opened the pack of three canvases I'd bought a year earlier. Of course, to be a proper painter, you painted on canvas but I had always painted on paper. I just fancied it. No big deal! I think I just wanted a bigger canvas to paint on, though this turned out to be smaller.

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The wren is a tricky subject. Lots of feathers, eye streaks, and mottling in the right places and directions. And that beak! I took time looking at the picture. I drew a quick sketch, then a more detailed drawing, which helped me later with the painting. I notice I am struggling a bit with focus, when I think 'focus'. I still had a 'rubbish' shout, quickly dismissed. I didn't want to give that voice any time. What I enjoyed was filling in the details of the tiny bird's body, spot by spot, using a small brush, a mix of burnt and raw umber, payne's grey and titanium white. Given my only other attempt to paint a bird was a kingfisher, I think it's gone well, encouraging. I love the progress shot of the wren, hanging in mid-air, on the grounding. For this, I divided the canvas into three levels. For the bottom, I used a mix of payne's grey and mixing white; for the middle, coeruleneum blue, and upper, turquoise blue, both with mixing white. Maybe, it would work better switched round..? In case you are wondering, there is a red brick wall, angling across the bottom right hand corner.

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I must learn to be more patient, when it comes to painting the surrounding detail, to do a better job. Maybe, take a break. Walk round. Stand back and look at it. But I was in the groove and enjoying myself. It was knowing when to stop. I hope the sitter is pleased. I am. It is already on my wall.