The Perch

                                                                    The Perch
                                                                     16"x12"
                                                                      Pastel
Ok, I am giving up, throwing in the towel and going to just go with the details.  I just don't have it in me to be impressionistic and loose I guess.  Working again with the pan pastel colors that I have, but my additional ones have arrived and I will have more choices going forward!!  I am pretty amazed that the applicator does really work well and can be utilized in many positions with good result.

This machinery picture is from Trevor Reeves, on FB's Photos for Artists, and the bird came from Debra Underwood at PMP.  I really like the hard abstract shapes of the machinery against the reality and softness of the bird, the diagonal, the textured background against the smooth rusted metals and the shadows.

The birds in our yard consider it their own personal jungle gym and anything that goes in the yard they have to check out and use - of course I put it there for their enjoyment only!!  Anyway, they first land on it, then peck it and begin to fight over it.  So having the bird land on this I thought was realistic.

Oh yes, miss cheapskate doesn't want to pay $10 each for plastic pans to hold the pans so I used my dollar store cookie sheets.  I had originally got them to hold palette colors for each picture I was working on but switched to styrofoam sausage containers.  So I had these cookie sheet for $1 each and added a little foam core scrapes to snuggle them in and am trying to see if that will work.  They don't move around and I can take them out if I want to hold while painting.  When finished I cover with plastic wrap.  Sure hope I don't drop or knock them off as it will be a disaster.


Thanks much for stopping by and taking a look.  Hope you are having a super week.


Comments

hmuxo said…
This is excellent Nelvia!! perfect texture in the rusty machinery!!!! The only thing I would do ..make the feathers on the top of the bird just a little darker! However, that's only my opinion.....LOVE this piece!!!!
December 7, 2016 at 7:12 AM
Mellowood Gallery said…
Wow oh Wow! The metal in this is super! The bird doesn't stand out as much as it could but that is actually pretty realistic as they are designed to blend in for protection. I think your idea to use the cheaper way of holding your pans makes sense. we spend so much on our materials that it is good to save where ever we can. - Good for you, Nelvia!
December 7, 2016 at 10:55 AM
Nelvia said…
I agree the bird doesn't stand out and I really appreciate you stating that. Not sure whether to make him darker or background lighter - maybe both. Thanks Hilda. Pans made doing the metal pretty easy, just dab here and there.
December 7, 2016 at 12:14 PM
Nelvia said…
Thanks Val I liked the pans doing metal in Driving Here and they really are so much more flexible than I ever thought possible. I think everyone wants to see the bird just a bit more as he is the reason for the title. So will try to adjust. Sure helps me as these are things I'll critique myself before posting the next time.
Yes, I am all about trying to find a cheaper way, might break down and still buy them but it won't be for trying something else, just seems to me that $10 is lot for thin plastic try and top.
December 7, 2016 at 12:16 PM
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