I'm having fun with Birds!

I am so lucky to have such fabulous reference photo's to use for my paintings. The other day James took some photo's of a family of barn swallows in their nest as they were being fed by their mum. Here are just two of them for you to see.



I knew as soon as I saw them I just had to compose my own painting. The family that James photographed were already growing rapidly so much so in fact that it was hard for all of the babies to squeeze in the nest. Each time a parent returned there was a tussle for the prime feeding spot as a sea of mouths opened wide. I wanted to capture that struggle in a painting whilst showing the disparity between the biggest and strongest and the smallest youngster who had to struggle to be noticed in the nest. Today I started painting and have begun the wood background that I decided to use instead of the metal bridge in James photo's.


Here is a close up of the smallest of the family who has been pushed to the back of the nest in the struggle to get the prime feeding spot. I get the feeling he is saying 'hey... don't forget me!'


Ona