I wanted to add a couple of falconry/working dogs to my print store to compliment the birds. I was really taken with this lovely pose, and although there wasn’t a lot of detail in the reference I concentrated on tone and used the grain of the paper to compliment the fur.
Harlan
9 x 12 Graphite
Naomi Hayne
Another wildlife piece recently completed – the Dunnock is often overlooked as a rather humble brownish bird, however, up close their plumage is rather lovely and full of patterns. Drawing in graphite has allowed me to emphasise this more and I am pleased with how this one has turned out.
Taking a break from a rather complicated colour piece I am working on, to sketch some local wildlife in graphite. I am lucky to have 2 small nature reserves within walking distance of my house so I thought why not use the residents as inspiration!
5×7 graphite on paper.
I’ve been a bit quiet on here due to working on a BIG project that I can now share – I have been creating illustrations for the first-ever Female Falconers Club Calendar.
To celebrate and support women in falconry, these illustrations are of club members and their birds of prey.
The calendar is a complimentary gift for members.
Wedding invites I was asked to create for a falconer friend. Several sketches and ideas were suggested before finally arriving at a lovely image of a pair of peregrines ‘kissing’ (in reality feeding each other).
The cards were then held together using a leather falconry jess and eyelet (for the non-falconer – these are used on a hawk’s legs), completing the theme as many of their invited friends were also falconers.
The invitations were sent out but sadly due to Covid the wedding has now been postponed, which is a shame as these cards have been one of my favourite designs I have done. A new date card will be issued in due course and I wish the couple well for the future.
Goshawk now complete. One of the largest head studies I’ve done at 16 x 12inch.
I’ve been tasked with drawing peregrines for a design-these ones will not feature in the finished work, but are warm-ups and experiments as I figure out how I want it to look. I am rather smitten with the one on the left!
I didn’t realise that it had been so long since I sketched a piece for my headshots series – it was tough going back to this textured paper and I wasn’t as happy with the end results as I have been previously- particularly as the paper kept marking and smudging for some unknown reason.
I have been crazy about birds my entire life, but ironically one thing I really dislike drawing is feathers!! However I am determined to battle my demons – this is my diva, River. First time using watercolour paper with pencil instead of paint.
Kestrel
Original & prints available
9×12 Graphite on HP Paper
Jon Pauling
graphite, sketchblog