Painting in Progress, oil on linen, 16"x50"

This is a photograph of a large painting in my studio that I'm working on. It will depict 5 Pintail Drakes. The main duck is finished and I have a close-up of it in the upper right corner. This is typical of how I do many of my paintings, I just tone the linen and then start painting without any pre-drawing. With this one I indicated loosely about where each of the duck's heads would be and then proceeded to finish the main duck's head and then used the head as my measurement guide for the duck's body and wings. I had to make sure the head was the right size so the body wouldn't be too big or too small, as this could have messed up the whole painting. The trick now is making sure I get all the other ducks in correct size proportion to the main duck.

Painting in Progress, oil on linen, 16"x50"

Getting Ready for the Day, oil on linen, 20"x16"

This young lady is putting her hair up and getting ready for the day's activities. This is the final painting based on the monochromatic painting I posted last week.
Getting Ready for the Day, oil on linen, 20"x16"
SOLD

Pintail #3, oil on linen, 9"x12"

This Pintail is crouched near some Cattails on a foggy morning. Painting the duck's head in this position was a challenge and at one point, after over and hours work I had to completely wipe out what I had and start over. Overall this painting was a fun with all the textures I got to experiment with.

Pintail #3, oil on linen, 9"x12"

Society of Animal Artists

I just received some great news, I have been accepted into the Society of Animal Artists as a Signature Member! This is the first time I applied and normally people start out as an Associate Member but I was granted Signature Member status right away.

Zipping Up, 9"x12", oil on linen panel

Ducks spend a lot of time preening their feathers. The "hairs" on feathers act as little zippers and throughout the course of the ducks activities these little zippers become un-zipped. Ducks will run them through their bill to zip them back together. I'm sure they also get little bugs in their feathers that need to be removed. That is what I painted this little male Green-winged Teal doing.
Zipping Up, 9"x12", oil on linen panel
Contact Horton Hayes Fine Art to purchase: 1-843-958-0014

In the Thick, oil on linen panel, 9"x12"

This Pintail is moving into an area of thick grasses during a cold autumn morning. Many times when I would go out to photograph ducks they would fly away or move into heavy grasses. I could never see what they were doing in there but I can paint what I imagine they were doing.

In the Thick, oil on linen panel, 9"x12", includes frame.

SOLD

The Hiding Spot, oil on linen panel, 9"x12"

Many times in the wild, when I have come upon ducks they would fly away. Other times, when I was not too close they would just waddle into a thick patch of cattails or grass and hide. I imagined this Pintail sitting among some grasses hiding from someone or something.
The Hiding Place, oil on linen panel, 9"x12"
Contact desChamps Gallery to purchase 609-397-2100