Java Sparrows in an Avocado Tree
Oil Paint on Gessobord Panel
8″ X 10″
Java sparrows are highly social, and tend to fly in adorable little groups. Here they are perched on the branch of an avocado tree with avocados that are just about ripe. I usually work rather slowly on oil paintings, but this was one where I tried to get more comfortable with alla prima (wet in wet). I like how easy it is to soften edges, but shudder to think how long this took. I ended up going in the second day to sharpen some details, and it took the equivalent time of 2 – 3 little paintings to get it all perfected (which makes sense because it’s twice as big too) but it was so good to return to oils after a couple of weeks of acrylics. They are so different from each other! I like them both about equally, with a slight preference for oils. Though I realize acrylics are far superior for a challenge like this where the timing is so quick, I know I will be using oils again just to hone my alla prima direct painting technique. This leaves me wondering what to do about the extra day I missed. I painted the full usual amount of time, but because it was larger it took 2 days, and I missed one day. So do I make 29 in 30? 30 paintings for 31 days? Maybe I can squeeze 2 paintings into a day? Hmmm… we’ll see. I know the main goal of painting daily has been fulfilled regardless.
If you want to see the rest of the pieces in the 30 in 30 and read more about the challenge, please visit the 30 in 30 Gallery, or view the prior blog posts.