Monthly Archives: May 2010

Some Paintings Don’t Make It

Posted on May 8, 2010 | 5 Comments

This morning I was all excited about the Canyon Columbine I found last Tuesday. I tried to make a pastel painting but was very frustrated on the outcome. So frustrated it ended in the garbage. It happens.

What did I do? Well, after I couldn’t get my painting to work, I ate something really bad for me (comfort food). Then I sulked. When my pity party was over I came to my senses…finally…and started over.

Never give up.

columbine watercolor

Don’t ever listen to those voices in your head when you do something you do not like that says, “Oh, you’re not really an artist, you can’t paint for anything!”

Get behind me, negative thinking!

I decided to change my medium to watercolor and start over. I think the busy background (canyon wall) of my original photo was too much. I am very pleased with this simple watercolor columbine painting.

If you allow negative thinking, fear, or hopelessness to win, you will never reach your goals. Life is just too short for that to happen. Press on and try again. You can do it. Have your own personal pity party then quickly move on.

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Posted in art, Artwork, nature, Nature Sketching, sketchbook

Tagged Christine Kane Art, ckane, columbine painting, negative thinking, never give up, pity party, spring, spring flowers, watercolor columbine

Class at Sagawau

Posted on May 4, 2010 | 3 Comments

I’m currently studying to become a Master Naturalist in the state of Illinois, a class which takes us to various locations to study different subjects. Today we were at Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, studying ornithology. Oooo birds!

This morning we went for a bird hike and then learned about bird banding…

This little male chickadee is being fitted with a tiny bright pink band. measurements are taken and recorded before banded and released.

This female brown headed cowbird was not happy being handled by the instructor. I was allowed to hold and release a male brown headed cowbird who also gave me a bite (OUCH) to remember before flying away. That’s okay, I consider it a love bite.

Later in the afternoon, we went for a canyon hike. The canyon is not open to the public, however Sagawau does host many canyon hikes and you can sign up to go on a hike with an instructor.

Look what grows in the canyon wall, columbine! I think this would make a wonderful painting along with the moss and lichen. Maybe this weekend we can do a canyon columbine painting.

Climbing out of the canyon is not for the faint of heart; this very narrow one person-at-a-time stairwell is the way in and out.

Did you ever guess that the Chicago area had a canyon!?! In the prairie state? Flat land for as far as the eye can see? Well, Sagawau is the only canyon in Cook County. If you are in the area and get a chance, sign up for a canyon hike, but be sure to bring your waterproof shoes for the canyon has an active stream.

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Posted in Birds, Chicago, chickadee, hiking, Landscape, nature, wildlife

Tagged bird banding, brown headed cowbird, canyon, canyon hike, chickadee, columbine, Cook County Forest Preserves, lichen, moss, sagawau canyon, sagawau environmental learning center

Let’s Paint a Hawk Feather!

Posted on May 1, 2010 | 2 Comments

While hiking I found the greatest feather ever! From tip to tip it is 13 inches…wow that’s HUGE! So let’s make a watercolor painting so we can remember this feather forever…

Here is the reference photo. I had to tape the feather down because it wanted to lay on its side. Isn’t it a beauty?

Step 1: Make a sketch. My picture is bad, but you get the idea. I used hot pressed watercolor paper for its smooth quality. There is no texture with hot press and I wanted my feather to be smooth.

Step 2: The base color of the feather is going to be applied wet-on-wet. Pre-wet the feather only and paint yellow ochre in the middle, raw umber on top, and a touch of diluted french ultramarine on the bottom.

Step 3: When dry, paint a layer of raw umber on the left side of the feather and the stripes. On the right side, at the edge, there are spots or splotches, make sure to be loose with this and don’t over do it.

Step 4: After the last step is dry, using raw umber, a touch of sepia, and a touch of burnt sienna, make another layer on the left side and the top of the right side. We make layers because that’s the nature of watercolors. The lightest colors go first and then you darken in steps.

Step 5: We are now going to make lovely details. This is a close-up of the downy barbs at the base of the feather. With a rigger brush and a diluted concentration of ultramarine blue, make thin lines with little “hairs” on either side. After everything was dry, I used a #1 and #3 black micron pen to outline here and there. Finally with a gray-blue mixture, I painted a shadow under the feather. I was considering a dark background to show off the feather but decided against it because I wanted it to look light as a feather..HA HA get it!?! Light as a feather? OK I’ll stop. Anyway, I thought a darker background would be too heavy.

Here is the final piece. With sepia, paint the stripes. Don’t be too perfect because as you can tell from the photo the lines of the stripes are uneven. The micron pen helped to define the feather’s shape and a shadow is a must!

I hope you enjoyed this step-by-step watercolor demonstration on how to paint a hawk feather!