Colourful Plumage
MATERIALS
• Pastel substrate: Art Spectrum Colorfix.
• Artists’ pastels in selected colours.
• Reference photographs.
The subject matter is my focus. It can be subtle or dramatic; subdued or vivid. I have chosen these birds, the Eclectus Parrots, because they are at once bold and vivid – but camouflaged into their natural environment in the tropical forests. They show extreme sexual dimorphism as the male is bright green, with highlights of red and blue; and the female is a combination of rich reds and blues. Feather textures are quite specific. The
