chipping sparrow

I wanted to share another freshly finished piece for the framed feathers portion of my upcoming solo exhibition in July. The inspiration for this piece comes from adorable little chipping sparrows who have been visiting my front lawn and feeder for the last few weeks. They are easy to admire, a joy to watch and seem to be the most social of all the different bird groups that hang out at my place.They all have cute brownish red caps, whitish gray under bellies and a nice mix of yellowish beige, brown and white edged wings and backs; they really do have some gorgeous colouring… so naturally I am adding one of them to my framed feathers mix. I’ve included some progress photos because I know people often like to see the development of a piece. I began by drawing a simple outline/map with a pencil, just to give myself a guide. Then I used a mix of watercolor, acrylic, gouache and ink to color in the image while concentrating on tone and shape.  Here is the finished portrait in one of my found wooden/faux gold frames. I think this little fella is adorable and he sure looks comfy in that vintage oval frame. I am thrilled he will be accompanying me to Invermere in just over a month (along with John and tons of other birds and animals).