MATERIALS
• Prepared canvas.
• Oil paints.
• Bark specimens: Australian Melaleuca Tree (paperbark); Leptospermum (Tea Tree).
• Agapanthus.
• PVA glue.
• Tweezers.
• Scissors.
• Small rolling pin.
• Fly spray to rid the bark of any insects.
• Matt spray.
STEP ONE
I drew the bird on a grid to help with the dimensions, and then painted the background to give colour to see what I was working with. Following that, I used black (Tea Tree) bark around the outline of the bird.
STEP TWO
A paperbark was then used (which would work well for the tree trunk). The texture of the bark, as well as the colour, had to be considered. I chose a reddish tinge. I also started to build the tail using a more *papery’ bark, combined with harder pieces, keeping in mind that it had to end up looking like a tail.
STEP THREE
The dark bark that I used for the wings and body of the bird was from the Leptospermum, or Tea Tree, which had gone through a bush fire. The intense heat of the bush fire helps to hold the black well. Using a rolling pin over this bark was useful.
STEP FOUR
The black bark was again used to cover the whole body, which also had brown coming through the bark. I used a lighter brown colour to show a division between the wings and the chest. Quite small pieces were used to build up the body, giving automatic texture build-up. I put the glue on the back of the bark with my finger – rather than putting the bark onto the glue.
STEP FIVE
A light reddish/brown bark was cut out and used to make lines around pieces of bark, to make it look like feathers. This made the feathers stand out.
STEP SIX
The head was filled in with the lining of the stem of dead Agapanthus. The shadow was done with the browner bark off the outside of the same stem, making it as thin as possible (it does actually break and come off).
STEP SEVEN
The tail was finished off with different coloured barks – some very papery and colourful; and others hard, yet thin and fine. Very fine sticks of black bark were used to outline the feathers.
STEP EIGHT
The centre of the eye was done with black bark and very fine black sticks around the eye and under the beak. The yellow of the beak was painted. An orange coloured bark was put on to the yellow painted claws for shaping.
STEP NINE
To complete the picture, the paint behind the bird was finished off. The paint used was French Ultramarine; Cobalt Blue; a bit of White; and Spectrum Viridian. The finishing touch was an application of Matt spray.
