OK! We are getting to the home stretch! I finished the shutters and am getting some color on the bird - finally! At this stage, I did an underpainting and am just starting to work on the feather detail. I am using various mixtures with Phthalo green - cerelean blue for lighter and purple for darker. I am also using some interference paint in the sun kissed areas.
I will use this as an opportunity to give a plug for my favorite acrylic paints. I use Golden Artist Colors. They use no fillers and are more true to color. You can get them for a reasonable price at Dick Blick and such places. They make a great selection of interference colors. GOLDEN Interference Acrylic colors offer a unique "interference flip." When viewed from difference perspectives, Interference colors flip between a bright opalescent color and its complement.
I am quite happy with the stone work and the shutters. Now the main event is going to be challenging. I'll tell you a secret - I am further along right now than in this pic and the tail feathers are not too bad. I am not looking forward to the wing detail though!
