The Creative Process

Patters Of Life

The following steps outline the creative process involved in the drawing and painting in of a wildlife watercolour piece.

The first and earliest step is planning the composition and subject placement. Sometimes this involves small "gesture" drawings on a separate sketch pad.
Once this has been developed, work begins on drawing in major shapes and figures that contribute to the most obvious flow of the composition.

As this stage continues further, more drawing is done to fill in the small areas and some light colour is added to the setting. The main subject is beginning to take shape as it starts to show a clear light direction.

The process progresses and I continue to gather more natural reference as the setting develops.

All the reference material that I've collected becomes increasingly important now as the details are added one leaf, one stone, one stick at a time.

At this point I am spending more and more time not simply with my physical reference in studio but also on location to capture a real feel of the spring light on the setting and accurately finish off the flowers. It is at this point that I noticed and added in all the insects that were there on location.

Once the setting is very complete and a very strong light direction is present, I am able to draw and paint in the figures of the birds that have been left blank up until now. With study skins and taxidermies that I have borrowed from public collections I am able to give the birds a degree of accuracy that brings them to life.

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	The first and earliest step is planning the composition and subject placement. Sometimes this involves small "gesture" drawings on a separate sketch pad. Once this has been developed, work begins on drawing in major shapes and figures that contribute to the most obvious flow of the composition.
	As this stage continues further, more drawing is done to fill in the small areas and some light colour is added to the setting. The main subject is beginning to take shape as it starts to show a clear light direction.
	The process progresses and I continue to gather more natural reference as the setting develops.
	All the reference material that I've collected becomes increasingly important now as the details are added one leaf, one stone, one stick at a time.
	At this point I am spending more and more time not simply with my physical reference in studio but also on location to capture a real feel of the spring light on the setting and accurately finish off the flowers. It is at this point that I noticed and added in all the insects that were there on location.
	Once the setting is very complete and a very strong light direction is present, I am able to draw and paint in the figures of the birds that have been left blank up until now. With study skins and taxidermies that I have borrowed from public collections I am able to give the birds a degree of accuracy that brings them to life.