Wednesday 27 January 2016

The Eyes Have it!

Young Owls in Watercolour
Work in Progress


As Simple as 1.2.3!

 Owl Eyes
Stage 1

Ever since I started working in watercolour I have been mesmerised with painting eyes. Not just eyes as such but I want to bring them to life too. I have experimented with many different ways to paint eyes over the years and on my workshops they are now one of the most popular subjects of my demonstrations.

Having painted an owl this week I couldn't resist painting owlets. Fluffy baby owls. A friend of mine  has wonderfully invited me to watch the young owls in her barn every year and I have yet to be around when they are peeking their heads out. But I have seen so many photographs from them and this is what I am working from today.

I started painting the baby owls by creating a pair of eyes as seen in the image above. I kept the highlight of the eyes by leaving white paper. I then began to form the beak.

As I had space on my paper I decided to add a second owl next to the first. Simply by repeating the eyes but I angled the head as this is how young owls are! Curious and really sweet too.


Two sets of eyes watching me as I work now!
Stage 2


As soon as the eyes were in place I began to add the fluffy back of the heads.

Young owls coming to life in watercolour
Stage 3

And at this stage I will leave this painting so that I have something beautiful on my easel to return to tomorrow!
Fun isn't it?


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4 comments:

Leona said...

thanks as always for your generous advice I think I put way too much of what I think eyes look like and less of what perhaps they would be beautiful LOOKING LIKE just like you do think I might give this a try when next I don't have a goanna outside my window to distract me - thanks again Jean I love your posts - have a great day and no more HATS please lol just roses and owls :)

Anonymous said...

Wonderful Jean... I would love to give this a try :)

ewa-christine said...

And yes when are the next workshop. Ewa-Christine from Sweden...........tanks

Unknown said...

Lovely! I love your artworks... Great!