This project has been sitting around since mid May.
Back then, I sketched a picture that was a composite of two photographs: A group of fuchsia blossoms and a hummingbird.
Eventually I used this image during a class I attended on collage technique.
But had always intended to paint it. Today I finally finished. Here is my process:
To finish it, I worked in a pale background wash, added final details to flowers and deepened the darks on the hummingbird.
This was a very good learning experience. If I were to paint it again, I would choose more transparent pigments. The cobalt blue was more granulating than I liked, and the alizarin crimson did not give a clean delicate hue on the flower petals. Instead I would use a mixture of ultramarine blue and Thalo blue and use quinacridone magenta, very thin, for the petals. I would also apply the background wash first. It was very tricky to work it around the finished flowers.
The parts I do like: The composition, the texture of the feathers and bird wings, and the shading on the petals.
Daily Fiber 