I set myself a task this morning (Sunday 26th June 2016) to design and complete a painting in one day. I have never done this before because I paint so slowly; but I received the challenge so had to rise to the occasion. I decided to paint a male Redstart, one of our beautiful summer visitors, and as it was only to be 5″ x 7″ (postcard size), especially for the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art’s (NEWA) Wild-Wall Tombola event, I thought it was something I could achieve with a bit (or lot) of effort. Needless to say I do have a bit of a headache (but that might just be the heavy weather!), but a small sense of achievement has come with today’s efforts. Whilst delivering my successful entry to the Patchings Art Festival a couple of weeks ago, I espied a small pad of Fabriano Artistico acquarello cotton paper. Having always used Aquarelle Arches, I thought I might try another brand. It was wonderful to work on and has a very nice finish. Not sure that it is as good as Arches, but will continue to use it when a tiny picture is needed, and so work up more of a relationship with it, as I have done with Arches over the last ten years.
Here is the finished artwork, which will accompany my three submissions up to Cheshire next week. Of course, if none of my works is selected for the exhibition, then apparently my little card painting will come back to me also. But I do hope I am successful and the Redstart goes to a good home.
1606 A Male Redstart in Water colour for the 2016 NEWA Wild-Wall Tombola
Many thanks to Dave Oates (Wild Oates Photography) for the beautiful resource photograph.