Beccy The Buzzard

Went into town on the bus a few days ago - an 8-ish mile journey, I suppose, from Niton Undercliff to Newport, Isle of Wight - and on just about every post and tree along the way, one of these whopping great birds was sitting; when I was a child, around 50 years ago, we had none of them: I do wonder what they find to live on (rabbits, presumably, of which we have legions). Amazing, though, how a once very rare bird becomes common over so short a period. But they'll always be rather wonderful to me, and this one is a majestic specimen. Did you achieve that clear blue background with coloured pencil, by the way? Did you use coloured paper? Go on, reveal your most closely guarded secrets!

The background was coloured pencil too, but a water soluble one. Albrecht Durer if my memory serves me. For this reason (the use of water and a brush) it was only eligible to be entered into the mixed media section of the UKCPS comeptition. Alas only 19 mixed media paintins were selected so I missed out. If you use too much water or too little pencil it creates a very streaky effect so you have to get the balance right. Iused a slightly off white paper for this one. The bird is all pure Coloured pencil. If a smooth paper is used a flat background can be made by burnishing the top layers with the under layers. Wales is full of buzzards, we have many wilde Birds of Prey in Warwickshire/Leicestershire. WE have wild kestrels, some buzzards and even some falcons. the great thing about buzzards and birds of prey in general is that they help to keep the rat population down. I think organic farming helps to keep the food chain healthy, worms and insects eaten by smaller birds and mammals, then these larger ones prey on those. They are magnificent birds. This one is now 27 years old and still is flown by the falconer. She enjoys human company and will let us stroke her wings. She is the subject of another painting I have done called 'Ready To Fly' with the actual falconer.

A really beautiful bird, beautifully done.