When visiting Rockport and Port Aransas, Texas, I was fascinated by the pelicans and photographed then profusely. They are very funny birds, capable of almost human facial expressions. When they're happy or pleased with themselves, they show it. My newest addition to my Birdland USA series is one of those unforgettable birds. Posing on the dock, he appears to be laughing at his good fortune in fishing that morning.
I began with a no. 10 round brush and grey watercolor to create my line drawing of this magnificent bird. Mixing a grey-brown to capture his oily, waterproofed feathers, I began to give his body form. I was amazed at how quickly the painting developed and how rapidly the pelican seemed to come to life...
I limited my second painting session to defining the background and adding a few details such as the birds in the sky behind my subject. This gave the pelican center stage...
To really show the bird's expression, I had to give life to his beak and the twinkle in his eye. Pelicans are basically shades of grey, allowing them to blend into their natural habitat. What made this particular bird interesting to me was the vivid orange on his scooped-shaped beak. The addition of this feature of his physiognomy made him stand out as a magnificent example of his species, a true individual character. The wispy feathers along the back of his head and neck give him the appearance of an old, wise fisher-bird...a survivor, and proud of it.
To place him more firmly in a seascape setting, I further clarified the division between water and sky and details to several carefully-placed seagulls. My laughing pelican is truly the master of all he surveys, happy in his domain...
The Laughing Pelican
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