Despite the Warning, He was Still Considering the Sun

When I finished the ground on this board I considered the yellow area to represent the sun.  Then I began to think about Icarus and his flight too close to the sun which melted the wax wings his father Daedalus crafted for him.  Daedalus had warned Icarus about the sun, but he failed to heed the warning.  He fell to his death as the wings melted in the sun.  How funny I thought that the Cedar Waxwing has the perfect name for this representation.  I have never seen nor photographed a Cedar Waxwing.  But I found the perfect image on flickr by Ronald Zigler.  Mr. Zigler was generous enough to allow my use of the photograph as a resource.  Below is the day to day progress of the painting. The right side of the bird was difficult and reworked each day with not much evidence.  

Three Dories in Progress

Dories, 16x24, Oil on Board

I was very unhappy with the feeling of the space.  Somehow the boats did not really sit right in the water nor feel as if they moved into the space.  I eliminated the horizon replacing it with reflected water.  This also allowed me to repeat the oranges in the boats and give more unity to the piece.  

He Looked, and Fell in Love with Himself

American Goldfinch, Narcissus, 2020, Oil on Panel, 10"x8"

To finish this piece, I added some texture to the upper left corner trying to balance the visual weight of the birds.  I also brightened the reflected bird a bit more and worked the water.  

Narcissus in Progress

I thought I had finished Narcissus.  Then looking at it photographed, I'm dissatisfied with the water.  It needs more texture and also appears to dip to the right.  I'm also unsure of the balance, or lack thereof.  

Dories in Progress

Three Dories

I've adjusted the water color to more of a blue hue.  Still a long way to go.  

Black-Chinned Hummingbird in Progress

Black-Chinned Hummingbird

This entire session was spent on the cup.  White! So much trouble!  Also, the hummingbird will need some real punch to distinguish it.  What is more important?  The cup?  The bird?

Dories and Narcissus in Progress

Dories

Narcissus