Sunday, February 15, 2009

The only way I’m going to get a Pine Siskin in my yard…

…is if I draw one and tie it to a branch with a string!

Oooh…look! A Pine Siskin at Kelly’s house!

So yesterday, after completing my second day of backyard bird counting, I grabbed my colored pencils and drew one.

I always begin my paintings or drawings 
with a very light pencil sketch.

Since I’m using colored pencils for 
this study, the next thing I do is map 
in the darks. I leave the whitest areas blank 
(just like with a watercolor).

Then I start layering in color 
(again, pretty much like a watercolor).

Finally, I start burnishing and 
adding finishing touches. 


Yes, I promise I won’t count this Pine Siskin in the Great Backyard Bird Count going on this weekend!

…I bet I’m going to have to draw that Common Redpoll and the Rufous-sided (I mean Eastern) Towhee also because they certainly aren’t flocking to my yard now!
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7 comments:

  1. KimFebruary 15, 2009 at 4:11 PM

    Kelly!!! I can't get over how great those are!!!! OMG! I wish I could draw like that.

    Please draw some redpolls for me too. I desperately need them in my yard too. ;o)

    Very impressive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. RoyFebruary 15, 2009 at 5:12 PM

    Wow! You can certainly draw! Great likeness.

    And give it a couple of months on the real bird. They'll start wandering south in greater numbers then.

    ReplyDelete
  3. KellyFebruary 16, 2009 at 1:06 AM

    Thanks, guys! I'll just keep putting out thistle in my five thistle feeders and hope for the best! I know I'll have to draw the other two birds too. My brother called me and thought I should leave it in the tree as a decoy to lure one in ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. ChrisFebruary 16, 2009 at 1:41 PM

    Very funny this siskins, and beautiful drawing job... You are an artist!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Warren BakerFebruary 16, 2009 at 1:53 PM

    I wish I could draw kelly. You certainly have got a talent.

    ReplyDelete
  6. RuthieJFebruary 16, 2009 at 9:12 PM

    Wow Kelly, you're quite the artist. I would leave that pine siskin out as a decoy also.
    Great post! Here's my face as I was reading it :-D

    ReplyDelete
  7. KellyFebruary 16, 2009 at 10:52 PM

    Thanks, Chris, Warren and Ruthie! I love to draw birds...and write about them...a bird crazy girl...or Crazy Bird Girl (glad I thought about "Red and the Peanut" for a blog name before coming up with "Crazy Bird Girl").

    ReplyDelete

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