Sun, new birds and magnolias.

The weather has improved quite a bit, and after several days of  rain we had some sun today. I enjoyed a few hours of surprisingly nice air on the balcony this morning. I'm hoping to be able to do the same tomorrow. 

It has been a slow week in the studio, but I still have a few new things to share with you. The flying swan became the first in a series of paintings it seems. I am really enjoying making these backgrounds. I like the element of surprise, since you can not totally control how paint and water will flow with this technique. Diluting acrylic paint this much with water will compromise the binding in the paint, even if I add flow-aid. This means that I have to seal the paint with acrylic medium in-between layers. I like the effect though.

Flying heron. The first blocking in of the bird is done. Next will be to add the finer details to the bird.

Landing egret. I mentioned in my last post that all my canvases seems to turn out blue lately. Well, here I tried to add a new green (dark sap green) to get a little variation. I might ad that I after this experiment went ahead and added this green to many of my other ongoing backgrounds in different stages. It just is so beautiful together with the blue. And it sets of the white egret quite beautifully too... First layer of the bird done, now a few more layers to go.

Magnolias. I struggled with the composition of the flowers in this one. I am still not totally sure, but I think that after I get the branches in I will be able to lead the eye around the canvas in a pleasing way. I wonder if I painted the flowers too big for the composition I had in mind? Oh well, I will just paint another one and continue experiment until I get it just right! There would be no learning from experimenting if we did everything perfect on the first go, now would there... ;-)

This is one of my experiments that is coming along nicely.  I have lost count of how many layers there is. But I am getting nearer now. More magnolias I think on this one. A lot of dark branches and then a couple of flowers. 

Two almost finished backgrounds that are waiting for kingfishers.

My corner on the balcony. A very happy place today.

Last and not least; this weeks video. Planning one of the kingfisher paintings in my artjournal.

Have a great week everyone!