Horned Puffin! Another study done!

[IamSam]

I was working on this painting about halfway through the Kookaburra painting. I did manage to take a few more progress shots, but not as many as I needed!

I chose this particular bird because of it's colors, it's unique bill and hinge skin, and the eye structure. I considered this to be a challenge! Again, I'm not sure who took the original image that I used for a reference, but the image has been used on a few websites. According to the image info, it was taken in 03/2010. I downloaded it in 07/2012. I did change the background from the original.

As usual, I will try to answer any questions you may have.








Unfortunately, the screen shots between the above image and the image below, were lost! I don't know how they were corrupted, but it happened!


Finished painting! Yes, this background was painted! I did use multiple "saved" selections for this guy!
I really enjoyed working on this painting! It's one of my all time favorites that I've done!


I'm taking a short break, but I have started another painting of a dog!

 

[JeffK]

Love the colors and softness of the image. Great work!

 

[IamSam]

Love the colors and softness of the image. Great work!

Thanks!

 

[IamSam]

I received a DM that was asking me about the white feathers on the side of the Puffins head. They asked, how did I give depth to the small white feathering? Great question!

You can't paint white fur/feathers on a white background, you couldn't see them. You need to build (painted not Ps) layers of dark then white.

Dark fur/feathers on white background.


White fur/feathers added on top of the dark. Now you can see them.


Then you just repeat this process until the fur/feathers have implied volume. What this means is that you are essentially creating shadows beneath the individual white fur/feathers giving them depth.

If you look above in my original post, the third progress photo down shows where I was building the dark under feathers. You can see in the next progress photo down, I came back with white feathers. I just kept repeating this process until I was satisfied.

Now, if you really want to visualize your work, even though you will still have to add and build the painted layers, you could work on a medium grey layer instead of all white..................which is what I have tried to do for years now. I don't know why I didn't do it on this painting. Either way, the end result is the same, you can just see a bit better on the grey background.

 

[Korupt]

"White fur added on top of the dark"

I do believe your wrong. They have feathers not fur.

I'm confused. What is this? I highlighted in red in the picture.

A part from that can I make a request? This painting is very cool. A male British pure breed Boxer dog?

 

[IamSam]

"White fur added on top of the dark" I do believe your wrong. They have feathers not fur.

No, I'm not wrong! In post #4, I was posting about the process of painting fur or feathers............. the process is still the same! Do you really think that I don't know the difference between fur and feathers? Or that a Horned Puffin is a bird with feathers? You're lucky I'm not easily insulted. But since you've brought it up, the tiny feathers on the Puffin look and paint more like fur, hence my reference.

What is this?

I'm confused. What is this? I highlighted in red in the picture.

What is the name of this particular bird? In my painting, if the Horned Puffin has a horn on the left side, would it not have one on the right?

Perhaps you can see in these.

 

[IamSam]

A part from that can I make a request? This painting is very cool. A male British pure breed Boxer dog?

Thanks! I'm not sure, does it have fur or feathers?

 

[Korupt]

Thanks! I'm not sure, does it have fur or feathers?

I expected you would respond to that. Puffins were a subject at the dinner table growing up. Drove me up the wall. I was taken to an Ornithologist and had to listen for 4 hours all about puffins. I think you got off lightly. Boxer dogs have one coat of fur.

Horned puffin. Now I remember your right of course. Good you study your subject. I did not.

 

[IamSam]

Boxer dogs have one coat of fur.

LOL! You crack me up! Are you familiar with sarcasm? Don't answer that, it's rhetorical!

Just so you know, many years ago I owned an English/Euro Boxer named Bill (Sir William). Got him from a reputable purebred breeder in Sacramento CA. He was one of the best dogs I've ever had the pleasure of being his companion. He was much better behaved and calmer than the two American Boxers I grew up with named Deb and Gabe (mother and sire) who were both spastic and excitable.

But if I'm being honest, the absolute best dog I've personally ever owned, was a registered female Rotty named Sadie (Mercedes Elizabeth).

I have no plans of painting a Boxer at the moment. Maybe later.

 

[Korupt]

LOL! You crack me up! Are you familiar with sarcasm? Don't answer that, it's rhetorical!

Just so you know, many years ago I owned an English/Euro Boxer named Bill (Sir William). Got him from a reputable purebred breeder in Sacramento CA. He was one of the best dogs I've ever had the pleasure of being his companion. He was much better behaved and calmer than the two American Boxers I grew up with named Deb and Gabe (mother and sire) who were both spastic and excitable.

But if I'm being honest, the absolute best dog I've personally ever owned, was a registered female Rotty named Sadie (Mercedes Elizabeth).

I have no plans of painting a Boxer at the moment. Maybe later.

XD Wow. Small world. My grandparents raised purebred boxers. I still can recall the smell of dog piss and newspapers. I also remember laying next to the fire next to their breading dog. What a powerful dog he was. Truly a great dog. Absolute. And smart too. Not stupid at all. Then my mother helped raise Borzoi's. The dumbest dog I've had the pleasure interacting with.

It's rare to find an owner who understand Rottweilers and gives them proper training. Always reading in papers. or seeing first hand how they're mistreated and used as weapons of intimidation and carnage.
The owner has to be calm with them. Any emotion such as fear and the dog goes spastic.