3 paintings done - one to go!

I got some really usable feedback on my latest post both here and on FB: Thank you for responding!!! One of the drawbacks of working alone in the studio is that it is so easy to get 'blind' to your own work,  and you forget all the different ways on how to approach it or in this case in how to present it. I got some really good points, so let's see how I can use them!

I got three (!!!) paintings finished yesterday, and now I only have one left. The flying barn-owl. It has been in the stage of 'almost finished' for months now, but for some reason I haven't gotten around to actually sit down and put down those last brush strokes. I wonder if it is because I really like it, and am afraid of screwing it up in the end? Oh well, I'm not leaving my apartment today for anything before I have it finished!!

Here are the three finished ones:

Härlig är jorden / Heaven on earth. Acrylic oil and collage on canvas, 20x20cm. Reference photo with kind permission of Peder Winding. I just love these little white fur balls! I saw Long-tailed tits for the first time over 10 years ago in The Netherlands, and the second time last spring in Spain. They are actually quite common in Europe (and according to the field guide they live here in China as well) but you seldom see them.

Vårsong / Song of the spring. Acrylic, oil and collage on canvas, 25x25cm. Long-tail tit. Reference photo with kind permission from Andy Bright. This particular little bird has been waiting to be painted for at least 2 years now. This is the third attempt with a different background. The northern birds have white heads like in the previous painting, while this one with a black head band is from the south.

Storma o hav / Ocean blizzard. Acrylic, oil and collage on canvas, 30x30cm. Reference photo my own, some sort of seagull from Bergen in Norway. I do not know it is a youngling from one kind or a adult in winter plumage from another species. It is hard to identify them when both the head and legs change color depending on if it is breeding season or not… My best guess is European Herring gull that has started to get its winter plumage as it was late autumn when I took the picture.

The heavy texture in the background comes from many layers of both different papers and modeling paste. This background was first meant for another bird, but the circle that I had made with the textured paper made my first initial idea look weird. So I added some modeling paste to level the surface out and then it waited for another idea… Then I found this seagull while looking through my pictures, and I though what if… I love it when experiments turn out like this!