Scarlet Honeyeater Painting in Watercolour – 15x15cms – SOLD
My newest focus is an absolutely gorgeous Scarlet Honeyeater painting in watercolour. Another in my small Australian bird painting collection, I am totally in love with this divine little bird. Its size, beauty and nature is captivating, so its an essential inclusion in this series.
I remember the first time I saw these guys out on a field trip in Far North Queensland many years ago so clearly. I spent hours bouncing around the gardens and shrubbery gathering little more that a million blurry photos and branches in my hair to no avail. They move fast and I just didnt keep up with them as they darted in and out the grevillea flowers, but it was definitely love at first sight!
Now, with enormous thanks to the photographers who help save me from myself on the photography front, I have been given permission to use some incredible shots from Phillip Start of PhilShar Photography so I can fiiiiinally illustrate this bird. You can see one of his many wonderful Scarlet Honeyeater images on the left. 
Phillip and Sharon, both photographers, have recently created a set of beautiful calendars of their images that you should check out too. After the loss of their son to cancer, they are now raising money for the Cancer Council through their love and passion of photography. The email to order these is philshar@hotmail.com so thats worth considering for those who love good people, causes, images and their calendars!
Usually when I work from an image, I take just a small section of this and rebirth it into a completely new composition, but in this case I fell so in love with the image exactly as it was that I decided to work with it unchanged… very rare! It really is perfection though. The Scarlet Honeyeater, with its scarlet and red nestles amongst the sage, gingers, orange, and reds of the mistletoe in flower and I just cant make it more beautiful than it is. Nature always knows how to nail it!
I also love the composition too. It has gorgeous diagonals, movement, atmosphere and interest. The delicate mood it has somehow softens the raging reds of the scarlet honeyeater to something so soothing and gentle, and so my new Scarlet Honeyeater painting comes onto my drawing board perfectly as it is.
With the drawing complete, I have begun rendering the bird, slowly and carefully… its like a love affair of some kind. I will come and go from this piece in windows between other projects, but it will come to life in its own time, thats for sure. Thanks so much for following along.
My beautiful Scarlet Honeyeater is complete
The Scarlet Honeyeater starts to settle in amongst the mistletoe surroundings
And now the stunning orange mistletoe flowers joins the scene, speaking so perfectly to the Scarlet Honeyeater… nature knows how its done!
The finished Scarlet Honeyeater and Mistletoe painting
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‘Scarlet Honeyeater and Mistletoe’ is now SOLD