Made it!

Well, he is finished. All done and dusted and mounted, ready for assessment in August. I really like the finished piece (and I always love to see a piece mounted - it seems to add depth and I don't know what but something magical). I also really enjoyed the process of doing it. The rhythm of colours and trying to get smooth sweeps around curves. I think that silk shading is my favourite technique so far, which is strange because I really didn't enjoy it when I did the Certificate course.

Unfortunately I will not have a photograph of my kingfisher until I get the piece back in September. By then he might have got over his measles (I never realised that kingfishers were quite that spotty).

So near and yet so far!

Well, it's been another long gap. I blame the glorious weather, we don't get so much that we can afford to stay in doors when the sun does eventually shine.

To Durham yesterday. It was good to see Pippa's Baldishol tapestry (Saves9) in the flesh. It looks even better than the photographs, much more vivid and textured. Nice to see you Pippa!

I made good progress with the feathers on the head and Tracy came up with a solution for all the spots on the head. So it's just a last big push this week and next to get this piece ready for assessment.

Off to Scotland

We are off to Scotland for a few weeks, so this is a record of how the kingfisher looks before we leave. Actually I'm a bit phased by the prospect of blending the wing to the back, so I have stalled a bit. I will gather courage whilst away and move on up the body a bit before my next trip to Durham.
I hope that you like the photograph. It's definitely better I think.

Did you know that kingfishers have spots?

Well they do! In some areas every feather has a spot of turquoise/blue and, right now, that's what I am working on. I really like this bit, the feathers have definition and spots are fun. Still, I'm running out of time and will need some more time with Tracy to get this finished.