Feeding Time

[ChrissyMarie]

For some reason I seem to have completed more pieces in pastel this year. I am not entirely sure why ~ I think I like them being so messy.
And talking of messy, we have had an invasion of grey squirrels this year and love them or hate them, their antics keep me amused:



We were taking pics of the birds when this one decided to come and pinch the nuts! My other half took the photo and I nabbed it as an art reference.

Most of my memorable highlights of the year have involved some kind of food source. One of our local National Trust properties fed the deer in the cold spell which resulted in some fantastic photo opportunies.

Then there was also a day where I went along to a local wildlife park to catch the kingfishers in full fishing mode

One of my biggest ambitions was to get a photograph of a kingfisher with a fish, so that one sticks in my mind as an incredible day.

I will try and upload accompanying art work/photo's as I go along.

[Andestine]

Ah, now that's just beautiful, and it has a gorgeous quality of light about it

I think that art showing animals doing something is almost always more interesting than when they're just posing (I'm currently obsessed with photographing insects grooming themselves ) and I love the way you've shown your squirrel's paws wrapped so protectively around the nut

And you're so right that the cold weather necessarily makes animals more bold when looking for food. I now have several blackbirds coming to a wall in my back garden asking for food every morning. One sings an unseasonably spring-like dawn chorus song for his breakfast too

A kingfisher with a fish? Is that in your other post?...must go and see now..

Cheers,

Andestine

[ChrissyMarie]

Originally Posted by Andestine

Ah, now that's just beautiful, and it has a gorgeous quality of light about it

Thank you

I think that art showing animals doing something is almost always more interesting than when they're just posing (I'm currently obsessed with photographing insects grooming themselves ) and I love the way you've shown your squirrel's paws wrapped so protectively around the nut

Insects grooming themsleves is always a fascinating sight. Somehow it can seem almost surreal!

And you're so right that the cold weather necessarily makes animals more bold when looking for food. I now have several blackbirds coming to a wall in my back garden asking for food every morning. One sings an unseasonably spring-like dawn chorus song for his breakfast too

I think it makes for some very different photo opportunites which take up my attention and almost fill the gap for the loss of insects that I love in the summer.

A kingfisher with a fish? Is that in your other post?...must go and see now..

Cheers,

Andestine

Hey, I haven't painted that one yet, just a quick watercolour of the image I got of it in flight.............and that is to follow. I need to keep people interested somehow!!!

[Andestine]

Originally Posted by ChrissyMarie

Thank you

You're welcome

Insects grooming themsleves is always a fascinating sight. Somehow it can seem almost surreal!

Indeed. And isn't it strange how people who know nothing about them like to call all flies 'dirty' yet they never seem to stop washing themselves (the flies, that is, not the people)

Insects all seem to have different routines too. Maybe thee and me should start a photo-thread on insect grooming one day

I think it makes for some very different photo opportunites which take up my attention and almost fill the gap for the loss of insects that I love in the summer.

Ah yes. Since I only took up macro photography last spring I'm facing this sudden exodus of insects for the first time. But it's still mild down here in the islands, and I've been using a trick I learned from one of my favourite macro photographers. I mix honey and water in a sprayer and liberally douse any garden plants that would make a good photographic backdrop. I find that the best time for this is about an hour before midday, and if the sun shines you should be able to recreate a bit of summer in no time

I've been making all manner of things appear out of nowhere this week: all kinds of wasps, bees, flies, ladybirds, bugs and quite a few Red Admirals so far. And then the spiders follow after if you spray in the same area every day

Do try it, if you fancy it, and tell me what happens. I use the best Manuka honey 'cos I'm soft, but any kind will do

Hey, I haven't painted that one yet, just a quick watercolour of the image I got of it in flight.............and that is to follow. I need to keep people interested somehow!!!

Absolutely! People have such short attention spans these days, and we all have to keep the artwork coming

Greatly looking forward to seeing the kingfisher-in-flight watercolour

Cheers,

Andestine

[davecatt]

Sugar works just as well Andestine. Just put hot water in your spray thingy, then add a couple of table spoons of sugar,and give it a good shake. Also good for attracting moths, spray on outside window ledge and leave light on. (wash off before daylight if you dont want to attract wasps and ants)
Dave.

[Andestine]

Originally Posted by davecatt

Sugar works just as well Andestine. Just put hot water in your spray thingy, then add a couple of table spoons of sugar,and give it a good shake. Also good for attracting moths, spray on outside window ledge and leave light on. (wash off before daylight if you dont want to attract wasps and ants)
Dave.

Hello Dave

It's good to learn that sugar works as well as I'm running out of Manuka honey and cash simultaneously

But what a good idea about attracting moths. I'd never thought of that, and your sugar water will do me until I can get a mercury vapour lamp next summer. Did you by any chance see the wonderful scenes in 'Saving Grace' when all the lights went on? I'm fearing that my neighbours will have a similar reaction when I set my first moth trap

I'll try the sugar spray this evening and let you know what happens. But I won't wash it off as I love the wasps and ants too

Thanks again for the tip, and don't forget to post a little something sometime...

Cheers,

Andestine

[Deb London]

Chrissy, when I first saw this as a thumbnail, I thought it was a photo. It's that good. Well done.

Deb

[Martin Wilson]

Very well done indeed ChrissyMarie, you have captured him very well with the fur so well highlighted. The softness and colour tones works so well, it does as has been said looks so very photographic.
A great work so well executed.

Martin

[ChrissyMarie]

Thanks all....I am not so sure in real life that it looks quite so photographic. I think the thumbnails tend to provide that impression. It is in fact a lot softer than the photo, a lot of my artwork can be like that...
This one was a little duckling that had been hand reared after the mother rejected it...



So, I snapped an image whilst it was being fed.....it was a lovely little thing
I think I managed to capture the softness but perhaps with the dodgy background made it a little bit too twee.
But, looking at it and it makes me smile....and think of sunnier months!

[Littlesparrow]

Lovely art work, I enjoyed seeing both pictures.