Showing posts with label Finches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Finches. Show all posts

Sunday, 15 September 2019

Double-barred Finches - Indian Yellow - The Holmes Art Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art


August Dry (Double-barred Finches) Handmade watercolour on Khadi handmade watercolour paper, 30 x 42cm, © Matteo Grilli

I was visiting a popular birding spot in Brisbane, Oxley Creek Common, on a very dry August day, a small flock of Double-barred Finches was busy finding food on the path and on the dry grasses nearby.







Indian Yellow makes a wonderful primary yellow, it leans towards orange in thick applications while it becomes a lemony yellow in light tints and washes. The Indian Yellow I make mixes beautifully with Prussian Blue for very natural greens or with Madder Red Deep for muted oranges, and Carmine for bright oranges and reds. It is staining and only lifts to a degree. Find it on Etsy.


One of my watercolours (Summer's End - Chestnut-breasted Mannikins) was selected as a finalist together with 34 more artists for the Holmes Art Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art 2019, all the amazing artworks will be exposed at Mary Cairncross Reserve, Maleny until October 13.


Sunday, 8 July 2018

Summer's End - Chestnut-breasted Mannikins and Handmade Watercolours Video


Summer's End, handmade watercolours on Fabriano watercolour paper, 45 x 38 cm, 
© Matteo Grilli.

I painted most of this watercolour while demonstrating at the Logan Art Gallery during my last exhibition. A the end of summer, Chestnut-breasted Mannikins gather in large groups including all the young birds. I saw this family of five at Sandy Camp Road park on the eastern Brisbane suburb of Wynnum North.






This video shows how I make my handmade watercolour paints, I hope you enjoy:


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