Great Tit

Although not my subject matter I really envy your ability to produce such fine work Paul - and the lichen is a success.

Another beautifully painted bird Paul, you have an awesome talent!

An added bonus to see another of your fantastic paintings - the great tit is delightful but I am really impressed with the detailing in the branch - the lichen is very convincing. Do you find this kind of painting relaxing? I find the more demanding of concentration a painting is, the more it helps metro relax and unwind.

Yes, I agree with all of the above comments, the branch is really well rendered as is the bird, you always excel in painting their legs and claws so delicate

A beautifful addition to your wonderful gallery. I love them all.

Such beautiful and finely detailed work Paul and your lichen is perfect.

If you can't make a living as an illustrator, there's something wrong with the world. This is superb. You've run me right out of superlatives.

Beautiful detail and a beauiful painting

Stunning detail Paul, you bring your subjects alive!

Wow, so many lovely comments, thank you to Michael, Christine, Julie, Ros, Avril, Val, Robert, Glennis and Fiona for your VERY encouraging words! Julie - I do find working with detail extremely relaxing, I simply switch off to anything else around me and paint for a few hours then feel chilled out afterwards. Robert - I've never thought of being an Illustrator and I do need a new career compared to my current outdoor manual work, so I may look into this - thank you.

They would all make good illustrations and so I wish you luck in exploring this avenue. A great talent.

Thanks Sarah, I personally don't know where to start with illustrating work but I've spent this evening researching just to start with. I may start a thread in the forum and ask few questions and see if anyone here can recommend a starting point.

Paul, your work is brilliant. Take a look at how someone else has made a career of it. http://www.chrisrose-artist.co.uk/biography%20b.html

Really beautiful work Paul.

you achieve such striking detail in your bird paintings, they really are lovely, do you have a bluetit?