Plant Study

© Ellen Blonder

Does anyone know the name of this plant? I saw it growing in a large pot in Kauai, and loved its colorful ribbon-like leaves. This is a colored pencil study of it from my sketchbook.

Speckled Rooster - Final

© Ellen Blonder

I always seem to do the background last. One of these days I should lay something out completely before I begin painting, but I don't seem to work that way naturally. I'm happy putting this rooster in a lusher environment that where I found him, wandering around a strip mall parking lot where we went to pick up a take-out dinner in Kapa'a. 

Speckled Rooster 10

© Ellen Blonder

Adding a blue sky always changes the balance, but I can't seem to resist. Getting close to finished now.

Speckled Rooster 9

© Ellen Blonder

 © Ellen Blonder

Nice to be painting again after a short break. 

Speckled Rooster 8

© Ellen Blonder

I spent all day working on the upper left corner of the painting. I don't know what the giant-leaved plant is, but I loved its ridges and cupped shape. The tree trunk is something I saw covered with moss, then planted with staghorn and other ferns. 

Speckled Rooster 7 - Anthuriums

© Ellen Blonder

The last couple of days, I've been working on the anthuriums in the lower left corner. They're actually darker, but I took some artistic license. I may mute them after I've gotten more painted.

Speckled Rooster 6

© Ellen Blonder

Now that the rooster is pretty much done, I can start on the flora. This guy was fun to paint because there was so much going on with his feathers.

Speckled Rooster 5 - Head and Feet

© Ellen Blonder

 © Ellen Blonder

Working on the head and feet details before I tackle the feathered body. 

Speckled Rooster 4 - Tail Details

© Ellen Blonder

This rooster has a great tail, with mixed-up black and white feathers, and a few red-tipped ones. It makes for fun painting, even if the rooster looks like a bit of a mutt.

Speckled Rooster 3

© Ellen Blonder

Now the fun begins, layering on more opaque paints. This is the last two days' work. The plants all around include anthurium in the lower left corner and a red heliconia. 

Speckled Rooster 2

© Ellen Blonder

This is a quick underpainting of the setting I want for the rooster. With all of his color, I want a pretty dark background.

Speckled Rooster 1

© Ellen Blonder

It's time to paint another rooster. I saw this guy in a parking lot last year in Kapa'a, Kauai, and was impressed by his speckles and white striped tail. I'm working on a 16 x 20-inch canvas.

Daphne - Final

© Ellen Blonder

Here's Daphne, finished, in her new setting. It turned out to be a daunting challenge to paint a white bird and still show feather details. 

postscript: Oh, dear, visiting her today, a fellow visitor told me "she" turned out to be a "he." And he/she is a much warmer white than I painted, so I may revisit this painting after I let it sit a while.

Daphne 4

© Ellen Blonder

The last couple of days, I've concentrated on background details.

Daphne 3

© Ellen Blonder

I think I'll add a heliconia for a hit of color, but not too much. I've also added some detail to the leaves on the right.

Daphne 2

© Ellen Blonder

Wandering through McBryde Garden, part of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, I saw many places where I could situate Daphne, but it's a small painting, and I want her to remain the focus.