Voice of the Marsh - Red-Winged Blackbird Among Cattails

The Story

Growing up on a farm in Indiana, the bright flash of the Red-Winged Blackbird was a thrill  to see every time. I seldom saw them in a flock like many birds. They seemed to be loners jumping and flitting from one cattail stalk to the other. Quite an attention getter as that glowing red patch on their wing caught the glare of the sun.

Technique

This is my first acrylic using a watercolor style effect with traditional opaque layers over it. It's a bit messy while painting, but I really liked the finished look. I varnish all my acrylics to enhance the final colors and to protect them. Watery acrylics are especially vulnerable on canvas to damage (lifting from the canvas with moisture) so I've varnished this one with 3 coats instead of my usual 2 coats of protection.

Additional Notes

• UNFRAMED vs FRAMED: I finish the edges of my canvases and cradled panels so they are ready to hang as is. However, a frame does add a nice finishing touch. Most of my canvas/cradled panels are standard size (although some not as common a size) and ready made frames can usually be purchased online at many locations such as DickBlick.com, PictureFrames.com, JerrysArtarama.com, and even Amazon. There are many many more. OR take it to your local custom framer for even more options. I recommend getting a frame that is specifically for a "canvas painting" with no glass. Regular style frames will not be deep enough to easily accommodate a thick canvas.