Finished Today Blue Tits

A_Time_To_Paint

Well, got the first of my two bird paintings done today.  I'm calling it finished.  It's a good warmup after having been away from the easel for so long.  It could be better but relatively happy with the results.  I titled this "Here!  There!"  The birds are only about 3 inches tall, so they were quite challenging to paint.  The initial background also was too yellow, so the yellow of the birds was not popping like it should, so I did a glaze of purple on the background and that fixed things.  The yellow of the birds in this photograph is close but looks more lemony for the original painting.  Any and all comments for improvement are always welcome. 

oilpainter1950

I like this very much. These little birds make me happy.

tassieguy

It's very good, @A_Time_To_Paint. The branch they are perched on is amazingly realistic. 

Richard_P

I agree, very nice painting!

heartofengland

You've summed up your painting very honestly and succinctly. 

@A_Time_To_Paint   You've asked for comments for improvement. May I treat this as 'my painting' and say what I'd learn from it? I've got nothing bad to say and no advice on technique, just what I would take forward to my next painting.

GTO

The branch is amazing.  You’ve rendered the birds beautifully but they appear a bit flat compared to the branch.  It could be a value issue and maybe hard edge issue.  Check the reference you are using.  Also check to see if there is any shadow cast under the birds.

A_Time_To_Paint

Thank you @oilpainter, @tassieguy, and @heartofengland for your very encouraging comments.  @GTO I have to agree somewhat with your critique.  I wish I could get a better photo.  The birds are more detailed in my painting but don't photograph well.  There is some shadow underneath the birds but very little.  Here is a little better photo I believe of just the birds.  It depicts more more detail but still not quite the correct color.  Adding some shadow underneath the birds is a good idea.  The reference photo shows only a small shadow but adding more would really help.  The colors are a little closer here also.  Thanks so much GTO for your feedback.  It's the only way for me to get better as an artist. 

ArtGal

Great painting, the  branch looks amazing

heartofengland

This is what I learned from your painting.

Hard Vs soft
I get the sense that you're happier with hard edged objects (twig) than soft objects (feathers). Feathers have a grain to them, they lie in certain directions that help to define the form of the body. They are also layered with the mass being quite a bit darker than the surface filament highlights. A bit like long grass.

Scale
All in all a tough challenge on a small scale and with less than perfect source images.  

My next painting would have the underpainting darker. I could then paint lighter filaments of feathers over the top. I would also break up the outline of the yellow breasts Vs the background. I would also have the bird(s) larger.

Photos
Please say if you're interested in better source photos of birds. A friend of the family takes amazing photos. Here's a couple from her calender.

A_Time_To_Paint

Thank you @ArtGal.  Those are some amazing bird photos @heartofengland.  Quite the photographer.  The blue tits in my painting are only 3 inches tall so it was difficult to get the amount of detail that I wanted in them.  There is more detail in person than in my photos.  For whatever reason, it's impossible for me to capture correctly.  I do kind of like the softness of the birds paired with the hardness of the branch.  My next painting is of a goldfinch and is a larger bird so the details will be much easier to get right.  Thanks so much for your feedback.  I really appreciate it.  Lesson learned:  Don't paint 3 inch birds if you can help it.  Either make them tiny way in the distance or paint them up close 

Mio

Not what I was curious for ... but birds are nice, too.

Good  work!

A_Time_To_Paint

You made me laugh @Mio.  Thank you 

jay80

It's a great painting,I really,y like it.  I agree with the previous comments on deeping the shadows, but other than that I think it's great.  The second photos show much more and the colour does look better in those.