ANOTHER FEATHERED DISCOVERY

Following an earlier circumstance a week prior, another sad occurrence was finding a dead bird of the same species in my driveway - it having flown into a 2nd floor window. No damage to this one again, and it's colors and feathers were not disturbed. My earlier article explained my interest in the remnant of this feather friend, and the drawing that resulted (as below); https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/frankmcostantino/recent-activity/all/.

In this case, after carefully setting the delicate feathered creature aside in my studio, it came to me during a dream (or near-awakening state) about how to portray this gift from the sky-gods, and derive a better sense of the bird's features. I also had been earlier misinformed about the species - a reader had mistakenly suggested from my first post that this bird was from the Shrike family - but with some book & web research, I found it to be a BROWN CREEPER; a common songster bird, covering the northeast edge of this country and Canada (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown_Creeper/id).

This new drawing was done on the same size (11" x 14" - support of a smooth Strathmore paper) and with the color penciled medium of the first drawing; and from the vision sense and a quick sketch study of figures, I arranged the composition to then draw various aspects and poses for it. Differently from the first bird's singular image, I chose to delineate posed gestures at varied scale; and instinctively chose various color pencils for the contours and details of each view, making for a more colorful graphic. The highlighted areas were to focus attention on the two more detailed, sharp-beaked poses. The unintended visual result of the completed drawing seemed to suggest a bird's movement on the wing, and perhaps its flight patterns.

It was fascinating to further study this Creeper's shape, feathers, markings, and very delicate claws, from varied poses. The engagement with the subject was deeper (as with any artwork), to visually portray the form, design, markings, claws and beak of my subject in four varied positions. Once more, I was thinking about John James Audubon, and his self-assumed work in exploring, finding, staging and painting his amazing Birds of America; and also about St. Francis, who had the saintly capacity of preaching to the birds.

So, another humble effort was speaking to this delicate, feathered creature via my drawing. I'd rather not have to encounter another expired feathered friend this way; but it would make for another interesting study or two. I hope you find this work of interest as well.

Thanks for viewing. Comments always welcomed.

copyright FM Costantino 2023