How long does it take you?

This question of how long does a painting take has variable answers. First comes the research time. My husband and I tend to spend many hours in the field watching and photographing birds. The more time spent watching birds the easier it becomes depicting them. It helps having a quality SLR so as to limit the distortion that is prominent in low quality cameras. We've seen a multitude of paintings in the last few years where my husband quickly picked out that the artist either used someone else's photos without putting in the required field work, or that the camera distorted the birds image and they then unknowingly painted those distortions. Being the curious types, we questions these artists and politely suggest they go bird watching to gain valuable information and if at all possible work from their own reference material as it does make a difference.

 Southern Alberta, we were photographing Curlews in the area.

 Dutch Creek, the hoodoos caught my attention and I caught my husbands attention.

Northern BC, too funny that I tend to tell my husband that he walks into my landscapes and yet I see I must do the same to him.

Then comes the downloading of a multitude of images, discarding the worst ones, the ones that will never be good enough to use, though I tend not to be ruthless enough in this department. Then I print out varied images (poses) onto quality photo-paper that I've chosen to fit the design of my painting. I don't slavishly copy the photo for if I wanted photo realism I would frame the photo. As creator of my ideas many works change throughout the painting process. When I work in acrylic I either start with the bird then do the background or I pre-paint a background that may sit for up to five years before the right bird or animal feels right for the design structure.

Background I designed well before a bird was chosen.

When painting in watercolor I used to  design the whole painting leaving ample room for alterations and changes as I work.

Highly designed painting, drawn out in pencil first.

Though now I sometimes grab a brush and draw with paint in a free manner, especially fun to do with florals. Some paintings have sat in what I considered a finished state for a few years when I decide the painting can be much better. Sometimes reworking a piece is a good idea, other times it heralds disaster.

This still-life set up was freely drawn with the brush, no preliminary drawing beforehand.

My husband and I were invited to exhibit our work in the Wildbird Gallery at the Wildbird General Store in Edmonton and also to participate in the 27th anniversary of serving the birding public.
Vinnie the Peregrine Falcon and a couple of owls were in attendance.

Here is Vinnie, sorry no photos of the owls as there were so many people around the owls Gerald could not get close for a photo.

Here am I, busy painting a hummingbird. During the event I was asked that wonderful question of how long it would take to complete. Well I had no idea at the time if I would finish it yesterday or not. When I paint I lose myself to the process. Even though I spent time chatting with children and adults, I kept painting. Took a few breaks and was surprised when Gerald said it was 4:00pm as I began at 11:00am.

These are the images I worked on. I sketched the Rufous hummingbirds onto watercolor paper and painted the backgrounds the day before as seen in the lefthand image. The bottom right image was worked from that state to a finish during the the event. I can now answer that wonderful question how long will it take me to paint the hummingbird,  I now know that the 5 x7 inch painting took  four and a half hours start to finish. Mind that each painting created has a multitude of variables, so one painting may take four hours while another the same size may take ten hours, it all depends on the subject and the amount of detail.


The painting process consisted of using a fine tip brush and dabbing tiny bits of color onto the paper to capture the colorful iridescence that the birds display as well as using subtle washes of color built up one on the other.

Behind me are Gerald's watercolor paintings and some of my hand-built nest projects. In the left hand side of the photo are my acrylic paintings. Lou was mentioning that my bird painting proportions are "right on" made me feel pretty good to have his approval of my work.

“For The Love of Nature” Paintings by Teresa Stieben

Tess invites you to an open house reception
& exhibition of wildlife and floral paintings
July 11 6:30-8:30 pm at the Jeff Allen Art Gallery 10831 University Ave, Strathcona Place Senior Centre. Edmonton Alberta 
for info call 780 433 5807
The exhibition runs June 29th to July 25th
Jeff Allen Gallery is open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm. 

The gift, new version

Here is the new version of "The Gift".  I am happier with it now as the majority of time these little yellow warblers are elusive as they dart amongst the new spring greenery. The painting is now truer to what I was working to capture.

This is the previous version, though it had simplicity it did not feel forest like.

Little burros have a home

 Magic of Magnificence

 Mirror of Psyche

This fall these two mini-burro paintings went home with D Slimm a carver friend and

I received this wonderful hawk carving from him. Earlier this spring I was hinting to Gerald that I really wanted this carving for my B-day and it ended up that Dave liked the little burros, so we gifted each other and I must say that I am very happy with my gift. I feel nicely spoiled with all the beautiful carvings received this summer. First with our buying the Eagle and hummingbird then dear friends of ours gifted Gerald and I each a beautiful wood carving, mine is otter floating on his back and Gerald's is a sea-lion capturing a salmon, both which we love and will soon be hung beside my whale carving in the hall. Any craft made by loving hands are cherished in this family. 

The Wind Through the forest; Pileated Woodpecker

Pretty in Blue

These two mini paintings sold through Donalda Gallery this summer, which also put a smile on my face as it means more art supplies funded, wahoo!, yes I do get excited for small blessing in life. 

Its been a while since I had put brush to canvas as we were traveling for five weeks then the unpacking and settling in has taken longer than I anticipated. its been great fun, yet all in all its good to settle down and get back to painting. I have spent the last month examining a few of my larger paintings and decided to start in on them again. (My daughter hates it when I do this) In all honesty though one was just completed before our trip and now that I have had time to digest I find it flawed. One was completed two years ago and I never had the courage to go back into it till now, and one was painted in the spring but has been struggled with, and the fight is ongoing. I am learning by re-painting at least one of the three, the other two hopefully are improving, though time will tell wether the effort is worth it or not. Once I complete (though nothing is safe if it sits around too long) I will post the earlier and later versions for comparison.

Laugh Love and Live, Hugs,

pretty in blue

"Pretty In Blue"

My 5th mini-painting in a week. All are 5x5 acrylic paintings on artist-quality canvas. I originally was going to go with 6x6 canvas but was informed that 6x6 in the brand I use is student grade and from experience I believe in working on good quality substrates. The first 4 acrylic paintings I completed years back were on student grade canvas. Much later on a trip to Delta, John sold me artist quality; wow, what a difference, previously I thought all canvas was equal aside from quality linen, now I know better and advise not to use student grade. I believe student grade supplies do a great dis-service to budding artists. So much easier to use quality materials and less headaches in the end. This especially goes for paint. I had given up acrylic painting to begin with as I was sold student grade, which is greasy, ugh! And the smell, double ugh! I now use liqitex acrylics as it does not make me feel ill as the others did, though I keep a window open for air circulation when painting as paint off-gases. I am so glad I was informed about Delta Arts in Edmonton as the staff are informed, knowledgeable and helpful. Kudos to a store that takes art seriously. May they be in business for a long time to come.

In The Pink

This acrylic on canvas painting, "In The Pink; Willet In Flight" was completed last month. I had difficulty photographing this one as well as "And The Thunder Was Heard". It seems mu SLR camera has trouble capturing the subtleties in shades of reds and hot pinks to my liking. It took many days of re-shooting to get images that I was happy with. Also I found that sunny days rather than overcast ones generate truer reds. I am not a techie but I figure it must have to do with how light travels through the atmosphere. Anyhow its a good thing to know when shooting the warm spectrum of color. But with it being winter here, its difficult to get the sun when I need it for photography as I only have a time window of one half to up to one hour (if I am lucky) when the light is just right, If I don't get it then I have to wait for the next sunny day. In the summer time I take my paintings outdoors to photograph in the shade out of direct light and that works wonderfully, but here the winter, like today it's -21, I'm staying indoors thank you. I don't bother anymore with setting up lights to photograph my work as I have found through my experience that lights alter the colors that bounce back, and as I paint in natural light I feel its best to photograph in natural light.

In the Pink; Willet In Flight

I have hung this one in my studio to brighten up my winter. It is for sale and will most likely be placed in my next exhibition. 

The Wildbird General Store

This photo taken Dec 09 at the The Wildbird General Store in Edmonton. the exhibition is up till the end of January 2010.

 

Ahh, the crazy bird lady amid her birds. A woman of many talents, one of which is effectively bribing her chauffeur with picnic lunches so that he will escort her out into the country side to gather photo reference of birds which become the inspiration for future paintings.