The Visitor

Nice painting Fiona, I can just imagine waiting for the strike, Grey Herons are a favourite of mine, but then I do not keep fish. Love the effect of the reed foliage curving over, good as ever.

I really like this Fiona -I'm particularly taken by the reflection of the reeds. You really are producing some lovely oil paintings aren't you? Well done.!!

A beauty Fiona every thing just perfect

This is superb Fiona, it really is. It looks very much like the visitor that I have twice a day! We've got some really deep colours and tones going on here and it works a treat. That Pthalo blue is showing through and gives such a deep contrast, excellent work.

Lovely painting Fiona I see loads of these as there is a heronry in sanweii where I go walking this lovely painting puts me in mind of that beautiful place . Well done Fiona .

Super use of that beautiful blue Fiona!

Malcolm, I think it&#39;s mainly the non-fish owners that have a soft spot for Herons....and I can understand why. Thank you for your feedback.<br />That&#39;s very encouraging to know Carol, thank you very much.<br />Thanks very much Dennis!<br />It is your visitor Alan! Thank you for recommending this colour and your comment.<br />I&#39;m glad it brought some memories to mind Dennis.<br />Thanks very much Debs, much appreciated.

A couple of years ago we built fish pond in the garden and added four handsome fish. The very next day, the local heron struck. I watched him stride quietly and slowly across the lawn, eyes fixed on the pond and before I could get outside, he struck. The one fish he gobbled up didn&#39;t stand a chance. and sadly I found a few bits of left over fishy bits on the lawn! We had to cover the pond with a piece of netting and the heron isn&#39;t pleased! Now for your painting which is a good one despite the subject. I like the reeds especially and the addition of white complimenting the heron feathers.

I&#39;m sorry if this has been traumatic for you Louise, I thought &#39;he&#39; may be a controversial subject, thank you for overcoming your prejudice to comment.....lol.

We once had once over 500 goldies in our pond ...a large pond. (i never actually counted them ) and one of these hungry bugs completely wiped them out. Used to see this rotund Heron belly flopping through the sky. We never bothered to re stock just have frogs and newts now. <br />This chap is great...though I especially like the foliage in the background. I think I would re title it &quot; The murderer &quot;

A really confident painting and made all the better by the composition with ther heron centre right and heavy tones at the top. Yes I have also suffered from heron poaching but don&#39;t have a pond in my latest house - problem solved

You are making your oils as elegant as you ink and watercolours. I concur with Alan, and everyone else. Great painting. Do you do this in one go or do you wait for paint to dry?

This is a corker Fiona, fantastic painting, I love the reeds/grass swiped on.

Well now I know it&#39;s my Heron (Cyril) it&#39;s a good likeness. He only eats the small fry, most of the Carp are 15lb up to 30lb so they are safe... I think!

Excellent painting , splendid variation in brushwork

A heron used to visit our pond, always very early in the morning but he would fly off as I drew back the curtains. He would also take the young Moorhens too but nature is cruel on many levels.<br />Lovely tonal work of a graceful bird Fiona!

What a super piece, Fiona! I love the composition, it really emphasizes the lonely vigil of the bird. Wonderful work!

Fiona, this is a really beautiful painting and I love the use of the lovely blues for the reeds. The only thing that bothering me is the white for the heron. I was wondering if you could have another look at the photo and put more shading in the body. The heron has got quite a lot of deeper grey and nearly black in his wings. I&#39;m so sorry to interfere and don&#39;t like to do it but I find this painting of yours really successful and because it&#39;s oils, you could perhaps do something about the white. X

Oh dear...sorry Sylvia, I seem to be bringing up horrid memories of fishnaps and murder with this posting!lol I appreciate you having a look and commenting after your experiences Sylvia.

Thank you Michael, the composition was down to the photographer really no planning at all.<br /><br />Gudrun what a lovely thing to say, thank you. I put a dark paynes grey acrylic wash on the canvas, when dry I drew in the Heron and roughly indicated where I wanted the edge of the grasses and bank with chalk. I then painted everything in leaving the Heron and reflection last, because I used the dark grey as a base colour the outline of the Heron stood out well. Painted in the Heron and reflections, left it to dry off a little for a day then added the white flecks and grasses on the bank and water. So it was all done at once apart from faffy bits, took me about a couple of hours-ish and five minutes to faff.lol

Thank you Carole!<br /><br />Great name for your Heron Alan!<br /><br />Many thanks Dermot, Sarah and Seok for such wonderful comments.<br /><br />Oh Satu, don&#39;t fret yourself about saying anything about my paintings I really would like to know if there is any way to improve them, it isn&#39;t always obvious to me. On this occasion you have worried over nothing because I can actually blame the photo!!lol Everything is much darker in tone even the blues......if that were possible. In the flesh it is grey, the light has been terrible here and I couldn&#39;t even take it outside to photograph because it was chucking it down!<br />Thank you very much for taking the time over this Satu much appreciated.

Thanks Fiona!

This is a cracker of a painting Fiona. Great free brushstrokes representing the reeds and I love your new blue, so vivid.

Thank you very much Val, glad you like it.