Herring Gull Heads for my Nemo by Sea Project

I have painted many local sea birds for my little coastal project, I used to struggle with them especially the beaks not looking right, but as the years have gone on, they have become my biggest inspiration and a great love.

Looking at pictures online compared to donning a pair on binoculars and looking directly at them has been a big awakening for me, I can’t quite express how I feel when I observe birds this way and whilst they slide down the blog, hidden away, I thought I’d bring a small collection back here to talk about.

If you’d like to see the original post for this piece, and another gully head I painted in a similar style feel free to visit my Nemo by Sea blog.

Octopus inspired by Minnis Monster

I’ve always been interested in our tentacled friends and since seeing an epic monster wash up at a local bay (check my NemobySea blog), it was the spark to not only paint the monster, but also practice painting the humble common octopus too.

I love how these miniature paintings are coming along, it allows less trepidation when starting a painting, little commitment but maximum fun and I often get better results. I have an entire book filled with these little guys and it’s one of my biggest creative breakthroughs this year.

Overcooked Spider, but Gully Glory

I started this scratchy spider a while ago, and you may have seen it teased in my newsletter, where I started being a little smudgier with my drawings. The spider I totally overworked but from the ruins I took away a more interesting shading technique.

I use an eraser to carve into the smudges creating more interesting positive and negative spaces, meaning I can give texture to fluffier beasts and intense highlights to smoother ones.

Iconic Birds and Dismembered Claws

If you’re wondering how my herring gulls turned out, and what more I’ve been painting this summer, check out my NemobySea blog, there’s some super iconic birds waiting to be oggled and a dismembered claw, because birdies got to eat too!

Yellow Wagtail Woes

I’ve seen the most incredible birds this side of the year, wheatears, avocets but the bird which set my heart on fire this month was the yellow wagtail. I can’t believe these birds exist in the UK and I can’t believe my eyes weren’t open until the ripe age of 33.

I wrote all about those little fellas on my NemobySea blog, and I wanted to do a pretty exciting piece of art to go with my enthusiasm, so inspired by my sketchy gulls I aimed for a similar styled wagtail — I don’t think it went well. It’s unfinished and probably will go unposted but I feel I atoned for my sketchy sins with a simpler (and much less time consuming) watercolour of him, check it out here!

Beasts Worth the Chilblains

After the worst bout of chilblains in my whole life, I actually have a growing collection of beautiful birds and beasties to show for it! Check out my NemobySea blog to find them all, it’s a little bit like a safari for me since getting a pair of binoculars in February. My fingers don’t thank me, but hopefully your eyes will!