Authentic and original illustration titled, authentic “Birdhouse,” part five

You are viewing an authentic and original illustration titled, “birdhouse,” part 5. The artist (myself) intentionally selected a different residential birdhouse than the previous illustrated in this current series. While walking in the neighborhood in Bethesda, Maryland, I photographed this box shaped modern designed birdhouse. It is made of solid wood structure staked in the ground surrounded by the impressive Flora and Fauna decorating the landscape design. Always with intent to capture the subject closest to how it's seen in “real time,” I take photographs from varied angles and perspective ultimately portraying the scene complimenting the subject and natural elements within. The sturdy wooden post embedded in the ground soil pleasantly decorated with ornamental grasses. As a reader, art enthusiast, prospective buyer and client, I highly recommend a thorough review of my painting. If you look closely, you will discover depth perception is apparent with the centralized dominant feature, the birdhouse positioned in the middle of the yard standing erect slightly angled with the the ornamental grasses projecting on either side and surrounding the wooden post with the birdhouse atop. The day the original photograph was taken was clear, with sunshine and minimal scattered clouds hovering above the house and yard. The natural daylight had an effect on the landscape features, provoking patches of darker shaded areas representing the ground soils within, underneath and around the birdhouse. There are two trees toward the left in the background in front of the wooden fence, as well as a tiered metal garden object resembling a tiered ladder. You will see this on the right side of the birdhouse with textured blends of silver, gray, black and white. The original photograph had multiple leaves climbing the tiered garden ladder, but I chose to recreate it without the busy natural foliage. I authentic wanted to recreate the ladder with a clear visual perspective opening up the garden landscape to see more space, and landscape greenery. If your not familiar with my work and visiting my site for the first time, you will learn that when viewing or reading any of my series, to better acclimate yourself with the “Behind the Scenes,” story, it's important to provide yourself enough time to throughly review the details of the scene. Each has its own unique descriptive narrative, maintaining fluidity and consistency of the series. It's not uncommon to learn i oftentimes incorporate abstract elements and features in my work. I like doing this ultimately providing more “life, animation and perspective.” When initially looking at any of my paintings, it's obvious when anything abstract is on the interior. I enjoy intentionally adding varied details, objects and hidden features. It may take time to search for these abstract elements, but with time, they are found and leave a different perspective on the entire illustration. I like to “leave it up to the imagination,” of my readers and prospective buyers to come up with your own visual interpretation. Phase one was the initial graphite sketch. On quality mixed media and graphite, I sketched the dominant feature first and foremost (the birdhouse) prior to the other elements within. Reiterating the natural lighting effect illuminating over and within the painting, I carefully paid attention to the detail of the background fence. When studying the scene while standing to photograph the subject, I noticed the fence was in good condition. The wooden fence appeared to be slightly aged with natural cracks and crevasses noticeably seen between the slats. The natural sunshine projecting over the yard landscape created a natural glow along the fence and other areas throughout. You will see linear golden and lighter tones on the fence as well as darker patches of shade on the ground, underneath the fence and around the birdhouse. The darker shades noticeably seen on the middle of the wooden background fence represent the climbing leaves rooted from the ground. There is also a darker textured feature to the right of the birdhouse and next to the tiered garden ladder resembling an abstract profile of a human body looking in the direction of the ladder almost appearing as if it were “inspecting the garden and landscape” as gardeners usually do. Another way one could interpret the shaded abstract human like figure could be draped with a textured cape standing next to the tiered garden ladder. This very same abstract feature could also be interpreted as a shaded grass patch mixed with mulch, soils and stones embedded directly next to the tiered garden ladder. If you've read any of the other series in my collection, you very well may already know a preferred pattern and technique is to replicate the scene with abstract elements with intent to educate the viewer, reader, art enthusiast and prospective buyer a chance to explore the details and the random abstract elements within. This helps “open up the minds,” for everyone to enjoy identifying the features and come up with their own individual perspective and interpretation.
Phase two was the implementation of color pencil. With black, green, brown, gold, pink, white, yellow, gray, and subtle tints of blue on the door of the the birdhouse, I blended and shaded over phase one. This process always helps visually distinguish the varied elements within providing me the opportunity to focus on enhancements, refinery, depth perception and details for the final phase. Once satisfied with the transition to color, I commenced phase three. With the same colors used as in phase two and with fine paint brushes, I blended and mixed acrylic paint to create the best matching colors complimenting the scene. I wanted to portray natural highlights and shading throughout, so I used gold and silver ultimately promoting the natural shimmer and sheen of the daylight beaming over the landscape. This had an effective and visually stimulating view of the varied features within. The green grass patch and landscape itself has obvious patches of beige and tan representing dry soil. The darker shades represent the shaded areas caused by the tall trees hovering over the yard. The tiered ladder structure to the right of the birdhouse has silver, white, gray and black areas underneath each tier representing an abstract version of the natural stone and cement underneath. If you take the time to study the dominant feature, “the birdhouse,” you will notice the door has subtle tints of blue on the door and black for entryway to the interior of the wooden box for birds to explore and access to enter. My favorite part of the final phase was creating a beautiful colorful scene depicting the image closest to how it's seen in “real time,” complimented by several areas I intentionally created abstract and different than the scenery on the landscape. I like surprising the viewers, readers and prospective buyers a chance to visually explore each painting in my authentic collection, ultimately providing an opportunity to come up with a personal interpretation and perspective of the subject and narrative. The decorative grasses coming out of the ground underneath and surrounding the birdhouse were wispy, delicate, overlapping one another and protruding in all directions. At times you will see soft golden and rose tones on the decorative grass representing the natural flowering soft and bristly stems noticeably seen within and on the edges of the ornamental grass bed. Upon completion I sprayed it with fixstuv sealant to prevent any damage or “bleeding of the colors.” The authentic and original illustration is available for purchase in print. This would make for an ideal housewarming gift or simply be a nice addition to an existing collection. Please enjoy. Jessica Ahmadi