Art is all about practice, so I’ve decided I’m going to kick off my next artbook’s production with a series of blog posts about my favorite birds and how I’m practicing my art.
First up, sketches! Typically I’ll assemble a reference board of about 8 or 9 different shots of the same bird and produce sketches of each while I try to take in all the various features of the lil’ guy.
I’ll typically produce a series of sketches like the ones below. I don’t obsess over details here, I’m just trying to capture a pose, or a feeling, or maybe just a bit of form.
I’m always looking for birds that look a LITTLE angry at you for being there. I like to feel a little subversive and making nature look angry at us is my little contribution to the conversation around human-animal relations. :)
Look forward to more of these little guys, I’ve got to put together 40 or more paintings for my next book, so there will be plenty of sketches between then and now. :)
- Jo