For almost every family of bird, there is a distinctive bill shape. Bills vary in size, color, and function. In this post, I introduce some of the features of the bill that are most important in drawing or painting birds. The Mandibles A bird’s bill are composed of an upper mandible (also called the maxilla) … Read More
It probably comes as no surprise that as a bird artist, I draw birds every single day. I carry my drawing kit with me everywhere so I have my favorite art supplies with me at all times. Here are the items that I just can’t live without. Sketchbook My current sketchbook is a Pentalic 8” … Read More
As a bird artist, I am constantly looking at bird photos and when I find a source for excellent images, I go nuts! While I knew about Unsplash, I had no idea that there were hundreds of amazing bird photos there! Here are ten of my favorites. Keel-billed Toucan Photographer: Zdeněk Macháček What I love … Read More
While my home state of Oregon’s forests burn, and I mourn the loss of lives and homes and forests and what seems like the last shred of normalcy in this incredibly eff’d up year, I can’t help but think about Black-backed Woodpeckers. Black-backed Woodpeckers arrive in burned forests before the fires are even out. Some … Read More
A few months ago, I challenged myself to sketch more birds (up to ten every day!) and as a result, I’ve gotten more and more confident in my drawing abilities. I also found that my quick sketches were evolving into more and more detailed drawings. So I decided to start a sketchbook and allow myself … Read More
Once I do my initial sketch of any bird, the first part I bring to completion is the eye. This is my favorite moment of being a bird artist: I love seeing the bird come to life as I color in the eye and bring out the highlight. Bird’s eyes are incredibly complex organs that … Read More