Art class at Hereford Museum Resource & Learning Centre

Things are settling down into a new routine now after we moved house and I started a new job at the end of June. We now live in Malvern and it's marvellous, we're 15 minutes' walk from the hills and I'd added Raven and Peregrine to my garden bird list within a week or two of being here! I'm hoping to post some more paintings soon; here is the first one in a while.

Yesterday morning I went to an art class at Hereford Museum Resource & Learning Centre, which I really enjoyed! We were drawing and painting bird specimens from the museum's collection and I was looking forward to being able to closely observe the birds in (relatively) lifelike poses. I've blogged previously about drawing and painting from a dead bird which I didn't enjoy so much, mainly due to its lifeless pose and closed eyes. This time was much more enjoyable, in part because the birds were posed, and also because it was a refreshing change from how I usually paint. We only had 2 hours, and would be working at a large scale on A2-sized paper. First of all we had to choose a bird from the many on offer - here are a couple!

Cuckoo.

Green Woodpecker.

I chose a handsome male Black Grouse; I've enjoyed drawing one previously, especially the blue iridescence of its plumage, and thought I should be able to produce something passable within 2 hours. I used my preferred medium of watercolours.

My chosen specimen!

I didn't quite finish in the allotted time, but was pleased with what I had done. I was able to complete it at home later!

Nearly there...

The finished painting.

62. Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix)

Black Grouse is somewhat similar to Capercaillie in appearance, with a similar distribution (although it's more widespread in the UK). The females are particularly similar; the main difference is the size - Black Grouse is smaller - and also the markings with female Capercaillie being more coarsely barred with an orange-brown unbarred throat whereas Black Grouse's is barred. Males are more distinctive with their flamboyant lyre-shaped tails. They make excellently spooky noises - the song is an lovely eerie bubbling, and they make a weird, slightly unnerving, hissing call while they are lekking. One of my favourite bird sounds!

Black Grouse, ©Rainbirder, via Flickr Creative Commons.

Black Grouse drawing.

I know I always say this, but I'm so much happier working in colour, really enjoyed doing this one. Impossible to get that blue shade right with my pencil crayons, it's fun to try though!