Rainbow Bee-Eater and Lotus Painting – Watercolour – 10x14in – SOLD
‘Rainbow Bee-Eater and Lotus’ is a 10×14 inch natural history / natural science watercolour study of two more gorgeous subjects, composed in a classic style of these subjects on an elegant white background. I love how this composition style places the spotlight and focus so cleanly on the subjects. It requires you to work extra immaculately, both in the rendering of the bird and botanicals, and in the preservation of the white paper surrounds. I love my paintings with backgrounds but its just a wonderful thing to diversify into this style of illustration too.
Certainly I love the size of this series also, quite significant but not overwhelming, perfect for so many situations. Keeping the composition and elements especially ‘simple’ (for me simple lol) in this piece, I want to focus deeply on the exquisiteness of this remarkable bird without too much unnecessary business around it. Adding 2 graceful Lotus seed capsules to the balance seemed so perfect…. And with that, ‘Rainbow Bee-Eater and Lotus is now set to join my 10x14in collection so perfectly, starting as always with the drawing.
Now comes a REAL challenge, illustrating the remarkable, technicolored, almost iridescent Rainbow Bee-Eater… so aptly named. Capturing his tru nature and beauty seems almost impossible, but Ive taken my time with it as I always do, labouring over every detail with ease as I fall deeply into my subject. Its no chore. exhausting, but no chore at all to loose yourself in such a place. Many hours pass, no colour has been left untouched in my palette and slowly but surely my beautiful Bee-Eater emerges from the page, bright eyes, alert and as vibrant as can be… and bee.
Online images do artwork absolutely no justice at all, but in the flesh (or feather) the colours of this bird truly sing. I love exploring texture as you know and this subject seems to have it all there too. Softness of the shoulder feathers, the sleekness of the wing and tail and the delicate yellow ruffles of the head feathers as he points his beak upward. He seems so alive. Its a beautiful pose showing the full beauty of the Bee-eaters stunning back and tail feathers. This illustration was originally inspired by a photo taken by Pete Evans Photography. with some small variations and the addition of the Lotus surrounds which are up next.
The two lotus seed capsules are complete, providing the Bee-eater a lovely resting place. I love the simple elegance of the lotus as a subject as well as the uniqueness and curiosity of the varying shapes, sizes and colours of the seed heads. They are pretty outrageous! Of all the times Ive painted them, none could be approached with familiarity from the last, they just vary so much. Watching them evolve and decay through the cycle of life its really magical, beautiful at every stage.
In this case I loved the difference between the two seed capsules, one early in that cycle, the other far more matured. With this comes familiar shapes but entirely different sizes, colours and textures as they weather, dry and fade. Its a wonderful spotlight of simple pond life, a single, elegant moment in time captured as I like to say. With the Lotus seed capsule illustrations complete, we come to the end of this wonderful natural history study and story of the Rainbow Bee-Eater.
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‘Rainbow Bee-Eater and Lotus’ painting is a watercolour study measuring 10×14 inches in size and is now SOLD. Let me know if you have any enquiries on this series and thanks for following 🙏🏻
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