52 Dunlin

Acrylic on board

24x48 inches

Step1

I treated the board with several layers of Liquitex white gesso sanding with a fine paper every 3 coats, the last few coats I added Raw Umber and Raw sienna to achieve a light to mid tone surface. I am not interested in getting the surface evenly coloured.

The painting has had a goods work and I have been working using broad brush strokes. The river has been washed over to dull it down and I will build up the layers but it will remain quite surreal. The water has cut ruts into the bank where the Dunlin feed, the good thing about this part of the river is you can see birds quite close up and even from Tescos car park. I have watched and sketched the birds on many occasions recently and will be visiting the river about 3 times a week if the tide and light permit. The painting 'mud' with a Black headed gull was to get a feel of the river prior to this painting and I am very pleased at the result.

 Step 2

I Have continued to add highlights and create the different textures and subtleties of the mud. The mud is covered in thousands of beak holes where the Dunlin have been looking for food. I added more brush strokes to the water then washed over with a pale mix to give it a softer effect. I needed to add some birds to give me some scale as the painting could be of a rugged coastline not a small river mud bank. 2 Dunlin added only 50 to go.

My palette is Liquitex soft body acrylic Raw umber, Burnt umber, a little burnt sienna, Raw sienna, Ultramarine, Yellow ochre and Naples yellow. I use a variety od Windsor and Newton sable brushes both flats and rounds.

The shadow is the top of my easel not some alien object out of sight.

I have sketched plenty of Dunlin for this painting and most of them will be in a different pose but obviously, I suppose, many are doing the same so are in the same pose. The real challenge will be the lighting and I don't expect I will get it right first time.

Step 3

I decided the water was too much for this painting as there will be alot going on once I paint the birds so I painted it out with a mixture of ultramarine, white and Payne's gray. I added different tones of the mixture which does not really show up on the image. A pale pink was also added. I continued to work on the mud and used the same blue mixture for wet mud areas. I have also added a reflection from the flying Dunlin to 'anchor' it to the painting.

Step 4

I an now adding the Dunlin and developing more of the mud. I have put it on one side as I have commitments for some exhibitions so I will not be posting the next step until I have added more birds. I have added strong light and a 'glow' to be able to play with the lighting on the Dunlin so creating depth.

Step 5

A bit of a leap . I have continued to add more and more Dunlin refining many as I go and I am sure I will be altering and tweaking.

Step 5

Just about completed but I am 3 Dinlin short. I will decide where they are going to balance the painting