Draw a Bird Day

Kathy’s Bluebird in Watercolor

/ Jodi / 50 Comments
Kathy's Bluebird in Watercolor - 11x14 140 lb cold press

Kathy’s Bluebird in Watercolor – 11×14 140 lb cold press

Kathy’s Bluebird in Watercolor.

I finally remembered to post a bird painting on the right day for Draw a Bird Day which a gang of friendly, artistic bloggers celebrates of the 8th of every month (when we remember!).

Kathy, who blogs at Backyard Bird Nerd, always supplies us with plenty of great inspiration with her bird photography.  She recently captured a photo of an Eastern Bluebird that caught my eye and inspired this very loose interpretation.  I used her bird as a model, but had fun splashing it up in the loose style I love to do.  I took some artistic license in changing the piece of wood to a twig, adding the tail feathers that were hidden in her photo, making it a bit more of a summery, green scene instead of winter, and having some fun with color.  Awww – the beauty and freedom of art!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

This bluebird painting is dedicated to the memory of my brother, Johnny, whose birthday would have been today.  RIP John P. Towle – February 8, 1964 – December 27, 2016.  You remain in my heart always.

This painting (original, prints, and cards) is available at McKinneyX2Designs as well as Berry Vine Gifts.

Daniel Smith watercolors used:  Cerulean Blue, Indigo, New Gamboge, Cadmium Orange, Olive Green, Perylene Green, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Umber.

A Pink Flamingo for Draw a Bird Day

/ Jodi / 73 Comments

pink flamingo watercolor1

 

Although some blogger friends and I celebrate #DrawABirdDay every eighth of the month, April 8th is the OFFICIAL Draw A Bird Day, so I wanted to do something extra flashy and a little out of the ordinary – a Pink Flamingo!

Bright pink to open your eyes
and wish you a cheery flamingo kind of day,
a Happy Friday,
a Happy #DrawABirdDay!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

A Song Sparrow Watercolor for Draw a Bird Day

/ Jodi / 51 Comments

watercolor song sparrow 01 2016

It’s #DrawABirdDay with my blogging friends (officially April 8th, but we like to do it on the 8th of EVERY month), so I decided to give a go at a beautiful photo I saw of a song sparrow on Instagram taken by Lisa Snow in Vancouver, British Columbia.

I love the sparrows that come to our back deck feeders – especially in the winter when the snow is falling.

Thanks for your ongoing inspiration Laura @ CreateArtEveryday!  This sparrow is in honor of you and your generosity and support.  (She is the one who did the sweet painting of Charlie and surprised me for my birthday!)

Enjoy all that nature has to offer today and everyday, and maybe go ahead and create some art from it!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

PS  This month’s #DrawABirdDay is hosted by our friends Kerfe and Nina @ MethodtwoMadness.  A sweet, artistic blog of two friends.  Thanks Ladies!

Papa Cardinal in Watercolor

/ Jodi / 48 Comments

watercolor cardinal

I had fun painting Papa Cardinal in watercolor this week in celebration of my Three Month Watercoloriversary!  (How do you like that made up word?!)

It’s been three months since I first ventured into the world of watercolor and shared my very first watercolor on April 4, 2015.

I think I am making some improvements, and I KNOW I still have a long way to go, but oh what a fun journey it is.  I’ve been trying to paint at least one thing a week.

Thanks to Laura @ CreateArtEveryday for initially nudging me out of the nest and encouraging me every day to continue, and thanks to all the other great artistic bloggers and family and friends who have really encouraged and supported me.  This is something three and half months ago I wouldn’t have even ventured at.  I would have told you I could barely draw a stick figure.

papa cardinalI used this photo of Papa Cardinal at the feeder in our backyard as my pose of choice to roughly draw the shape.  I then took LOTS of artistic license in creating an artsy version of him.    Because – hey – if I wanted him to look exactly like the photo – what’s the point?  Just take the photo – right?  (or maybe that’s my excuse…)  I put him on a branch instead of the feeder, because the feeder totally detracts from his handsomeness.  And then I spiked his hair a bit too to spiff him up.

We have several cardinal families hanging out here in our backyard here in Mars.  Maybe I’ll venture to draw Momma or Baby soon.  Baby is pretty grown up and there are other new kids now too.

Oh what a bird nerd I have become!  Thanks for visiting, and happy weekend – enjoy doing things you love with those you love – at life in between!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi