Kingfisher and Lotus Painting in Watercolour – 10x14in – Watercolour – Available
Ive been working intensely on my 15x15cm small bird series over the past 8 weeks so I felt it was a time for a little change. Ive been in love with a Kingfisher image my friend Pete Evans took up in Queensland some time ago, so I decided it was finally time to give it my attention. I returned to my vast swag of lotus reference gathered over all these years to incorporate the kingfisher into a gorgeous fading lotus flower and seed capsule to complete this new composition.
Lotus is one of my all time favourites. Ive painted many in my time but never tire of this as a painting subject. Every specimen is its own stunning story so each time I approach it, its a completely new story and experience. Since releasing my online painting LOTUS tutorial, I havent had time to return to it as a focus for some time. Im looking forward to exploring it again as it has definitely been too long.
Its a larger painting this time, but ‘Kingfisher and Lotus’ makes a return to the classic style of natural history and botanical illustration with the feature subject on a clean white background. I love the simplicity and elegance of this style. After the complexity of my recent Gouldian Finch illustrations, it seems like an interesting new challenge to step into… and a challenge it will surely be!
With the layout refined, i have completed the drawing, clean, precise graphite linework on my watercolour paper, and i am all set to step into the painting. Inhale… exhale… lets go.
The kingfisher illustration is underway, starting with the bird. Talk about intricate! What a beautiful technical challenge it is though. As always, web images do a painting no justice at all, but I am happy with how it has turned out. It is vibrant, delicate, wonderfully textural, and it has a really lovely mood developing with it. I adore this palette, which is remarkably similar to the Runner Duck illustration I just completed with lots of blues, greens, gorgeous turquoise with some earthy colours in the mix too. So with the kingfisher element finished its time to play with the lotus for the next very real challenge.
The Lotus element has been completed with its luscious form and colours, cascades of delicate pink fringed petals and stamen tangle. Goodness, how beautiful the lotus is! It is a challenging subject, as the all are, but on a side note I do have an in depth Lotus Painting Tutorial available if youd like to learn more on illustrating this subject. Next Ill approach the stem and the beautiful Lotus seed capsule to complete this kingfisher painting.
The completed Kingfisher and Lotus painting, a simpler, but elegant study of such gorgeous and graceful subjects and an equally wonderful medium to capture it in. Thank you for following along with this study. Ill be launching it on my social media platforms in the coming days so check that out for a more in depth look into its development 🙏🏻
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‘Kingfisher and Lotus’ original is currently AVAILABLE. Please let me know if you have any enquiry on this piece