Tucker the French Bulldog
( reason for not getting out)
It is ages since my last entry, I haven't been able to get out and do any birding or photography, this has been due to the little sod pictured above! Tucker is his name and although the stepdaughter bought it for herself, what with her shifts it seemed that we housed him for most of the time!!
So with not being able to get out, it seemed the days we had him were on my rest days from work! funny that, I picked up my artist brushes to keep busy. During November Sarah and I were able to spend 3 nights in Berlin with my brother Matthew and his wife Jacqui. This was a fantastic break with the christmas markets and tourist attractions along with, of course, a few Gluhwein's.
Berlin
Bird wise in Berlin, the only bird of note was the Hooded Crows, and they were everywhere in their hundreds. One night when walking the Berlin streets we came across a row of bare trees adjacent a row of shops and I kid you not there were several hundred Hoodies' taking up their roosting position...what a sight.
Hooded Crows
Berlin
As November came to an end I had a few paintings completed. A couple of Zebra close ups were first, then I had a request from my youngest brother for a Jaguar cub for his daughter, this needed to be in time for Christmas.
With the finished Jaguar out of the way I tried something different and challenged myself to paint a head study of a Silverback Gorilla. You should also take on board the fact that whenever I set up to paint Tucker wanted to set up camp on my lap and either gaze out of the window or curl up and go to sleep! Not an easy task when trying to do fine line work!
That brings me up to present time and a finished portrait of a Rhino, now into 2016 and hopefully I will be able to venture out sometime!
