I finally finished stitching the body of my wide winged bird! Below is a close-up:
I am very pleased with how this little bird turned out and plan on framing it.
The beading and stitching were very meditative for me. I’m not sure what my next stitching project will be… but probably not a bird! Lol!
I am thankful Spring is FINALLY here and the birds are back singing! Hoorah!
Have a happy Wednesday!
Cheers! 😃
Posted in Beading, birds, hand stitching, happy Wednesday
Tagged Beading, bird art, Colorful, fabric collage, hand stitching, happy art, happy Wednesday, imagination, inspiration, meditative, smile, Spring
Today’s weird bird has EXCELLENT balance!
After all, it is from the Tightrope family…
It is a bird on a wire! And it is ready for Spring!! 🌷
Did you know…
Why don’t birds fall off wires or branches?
When a bird places weight on its feet, the muscles in the leg force the tendons of the feet to tighten, keeping the foot closed. This gives the bird a vice-like grip around any wire or branch it may be resting on, so the bird doesn’t fall off.
Why do birds all face the same direction on a telephone wire?
In windy conditions, you’ll notice all the birds are facing the same direction – into the wind. That keeps their feathers from getting blown out of place. On windless days, birds will sit any way they like.
How do birds sit on high-voltage power lines without getting electrocuted?
Electricity flows along the paths of least resistance and power lines contain copper wires that encourage steady transmission. Birds can perch on electrical lines because they don’t conduct enough electricity to disrupt the current. The electricity flows through the birds and back to the wires.
I thought this information was interesting and I hope you will too!
Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!
Cheers! 😃
Posted in Weird Bird Wednesday
Tagged bird facts, color pencils, creative play, drawing, humor, Imaginary birds, imagination, paper collage, smile, Spring, Weird Bird Wednesday, word play
I love to experiment with color and patterns, as you may already know! I find it very meditating.
I recently completed this doodle:
One of the things I did differently with this doodle was I added three flowers on top of my doodle that I printed on deli paper using my Gelli plate and a stencil.
What is really fun about printing on deli paper with fluid acrylics is that the pattern is transparent when you glue it down to your paper. You don’t see the deli paper. I printed my flowers in a light red color.
This time I took my experiment a step further and glued it over my doodle (with a glue stick). I next added further details with Copic markers and color pencils on top of the deli printed flowers. I didn’t know I could do that!
I also experimented creating patterns with color pencils in my doodle and coloring Copic markers over them.
Another great thing about creating a colorful doodle is making copies to use as collage. The colors came out exceptionally bright with the Copic markers.
And behold! I found a rabbit:
And a bird (think swan–like):
The journal is for my online class I’m taking with Carla Sonheim, The Year of the Rabbit. I added some postage stamps from other countries to add interest to my pages.
I hope you have fun doing some art experiments today! I’d love to hear what you are working on.
Happy Wednesday!
Cheers! 😃
I have been hand stitching and beading two wings for a second bird for an online class I’m taking with Kelli May Krenz.
These two wings are for my Wide Winged Bird:
I still have to complete the body but I just love how the wings turned out so I had to show you!
And speaking of bird wings, did you know there are 4 general wing shapes for flying birds?
According to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, these wing shapes are:
Passive soaring wings – These wings have long primary feathers that spread out, creating “slots” that allow the bird to catch vertical columns of hot air called “thermals” and rise higher in the air. Examples of birds with this wing type include eagles, most hawks and storks.
Active soaring wings – These wings are long and narrow, allowing the birds to soar, or fly without flapping their wings, for a long time. However, these birds are much more dependent on wind currents than passive soaring birds. Examples of birds with this wing type are albatrosses, gulls and gannets.
Elliptical wings – These wings are good for short bursts of high speed. They allow fast take offs and tight maneuvering. While they allow high speed, the speed cannot be maintained. Examples of birds with this wing type are crows, ravens, blackbirds, sparrows and thrushes (such as the American Robin).
High-speed wings – These wings are long and thin, but not nearly as long as birds with active soaring wings. As the name suggests, birds with this wing type are incredibly fast, but unlike those with elliptical wings, these birds can maintain their speed for awhile. Examples of birds that have this wing type are swifts, ducks, falcons, terns and sandpipers.
I hope you enjoyed this little lesson about bird wing shapes!
Spread your wings and soar today!
Note: Still more stitching and beading of the bird’s body so stay tuned for a future post!
Happy Wednesday!
Cheers! 😃
Today’s weird bird is definitely WEIRD!
Bob The Blob Bird
I started Bob with a blob of paint.
I saw another bird in the blob:
This blob is the one I went with:
I then added some collage papers for the wing, tail and beak. Next, I added some details with acrylic paint pens and finished with a black sharpie.
Sometimes it is fun to just PLAY!
How many weird birds can you find in the paint blob?
I recently read a book called, A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen. (Hint: This is where I got the idea to name my bird, Bob).
The book was an easy read and very uplifting. Bob the cat had quite the personality. If you are looking for a book to read about cats, you may enjoy this book.
Wishing you a happy weird bird Wednesday!
Cheers! 😃
You will be seeing a lot of rabbits and bunnies from me this year!
Carla Sonheim’s year-long online class is The Year of the Rabbit.
It is my goal to spend 10 minutes each day, drawing a rabbit!
Hot Air Balloons:
I recently completed this 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. I just love how colorful it is!
A feather I doodled with black Micron pens:
I kind of messed up on the top so I glued a piece of paper over it! Ha! And drew on top of the paper.
I like how the pencil shading adds dimension:
Do you have any creative goals this year? I hope you will share them with me!
Happy Wednesday!
Cheers! 😃
I hope 2023 will be a good year for us all!
I’d like to start your first Wednesday of the new year with a smile 😃
May this weird bird inspire YOU to be your BEST!
Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!
Cheers!
It has been snowing a lot in the Pacific Northwest where I live…
And look who showed up today! All dressed in holiday attire:
This weird snowy owl knows how to keep warm!
I went for a walk all bundled up at Priest Lake, Idaho last weekend:
Lucky for me it was only 23 degrees and not the 7 degrees that is predicted for tomorrow!
I do think the snow is beautiful, especially at the lake.
Happy Weird Bird Wednesday and a Merry Christmas!
Cheers!
I recently painted this Hummingbird in watercolor then added black ink with a thin brush and white gel pen:
I used this cardboard Hummingbird (I made several years ago) for my model:
I started with a quick sketch:
And then applied my regular watercolors before I added a little shimmer with iridescent watercolors:
This is the iridescent watercolor brand I used:
It really added a nice shimmer don’t you think?
I love holiday ornaments that give a little sparkle and shimmer to the tree!
How about you? What kind of ornaments adorn your tree?
Happy Wednesday!
Cheers! 😃
Today’s weird bird is rather dazzling! At least I think it is…
I recently took an online class with Kelli May-Krenz called, “Winged Wonders.”
My little bird has featherstitched wings and lots of hand stitching and BEADS!
I love beads!
My little bird has a gold painted beak and a vintage bead for an eye.
I sewed a pin on its back so I could wear it…
But I kind of like it on the top of my little Christmas tree!
It was a fun project to do last week when I was sick with a cold. I find beading and hand stitching very meditative.
Happy Weird Bird Wednesday!
May you find joy in creating or doing something out of the ordinary this December.
Cheers!
Jill's Art Journal 