It was one of our West Coast Snow Days.
2 - 3 inches of snow on the ground, cloudy sky and rain ready to fall to wipe out the snow.
I was out in the park with my grand-kids. I snapped a few pictures. They were Awesome. (Well, they are my grand-kids). But really they were good. The lighting was just right. No shadows, great colour, wonderful clarity. The portraits I took were soooo cute. I was thrilled.
2 - 3 inches of snow on the ground, cloudy sky and rain ready to fall to wipe out the snow.
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| SHORT-EARED OWL: ON THE PROWL - Nearly ready for my Up Coming Show on March 6-8 |
I was out in the park with my grand-kids. I snapped a few pictures. They were Awesome. (Well, they are my grand-kids). But really they were good. The lighting was just right. No shadows, great colour, wonderful clarity. The portraits I took were soooo cute. I was thrilled.
But they were No good for drawing or painting . . . .
Why not?? No Shadows. . . .
Take a look at these shots of a young barred owl. My grandson found him on the trail and took me out to see him. It was really neat to see this young owl just sitting on the branch watching people go by on the trail. I took a few shots of him.
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| Young Barred Owl on the trail - Photo |
Yes, got a clear image. Yes, got lots of details on his feather patterns. You can even see his claws peeking out from his feathers. But there are no shadows. Nothing to give drama to the painting. The painting would be a good rendering of the owl. But nothing to really grab the eye and command its attention.
Take another look at my Short Eared Owl: On the Prowl at the top of my page. Even though he is not finished - Notice how the shadows on his face command your attention. The darks in his feather pattern move your eye down his body but the darks in his face keep you going back to it. This adds a little tension to the picture. Creates a sense of movement. That strong contrast of dark and light on his face commands your eye's attention. These things all add that extra piece of drama.
Maybe you wont want that drama in the drawing of my grandson. He is very cute and could probably hold your attention on his own but for other things you might want more.
Getting shots with that extra bit a drama does take time. Early morning or late in the day are my favourite times. The sun is at an angle and the shadow patterns tend to be more interesting. I do a few test shots and check my angle. Then I click away. You never know when they will move. I found if I wait and wait to click, it is usually too late. Sure clicking end up with lots of shots but . . . they are easy to delete. If I am lucky there will be 1 or 2 I can use.
Once you have the shot, the story doesn't end there. There are other issues to deal with. Often I take my bird or animal and put them into a new setting. And as you suspect, integrating my subject into a new environment has its own problems. If this is part of your story too, I suggest the following for further reading:
Integration Part 2: Art Tip - Multiple Reference Photos - putting your subject 'into' the environment
Getting the RIGHT Reference for you Wildlife Painting - things to think about when selecting a photo to work with
Getting the RIGHT Reference for you Wildlife Painting - things to think about when selecting a photo to work with
Time for a Photo Shoot - going on a Photo shoot
COMING UP FAST!!!!
March 6-8, 2020 - The West Fine Arts Show
In support of Langley School District Youth Homelessness Initiatives
Friday March 6, 7-9pm Saturday March 7, 11-7pm Sunday, March 8, 11-5pm
Peter Ewart Middle School, 7755 202A St, Langley BC.
Yes, I have teamed up with this great show event: 22 Professional Artists, Awesome Art, a show you shouldn't miss. Looking forward to seeing you there.
Art by Wendy Studio/Gallery is always Open
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Have a great Artful Day,
Wendy
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