Australian Magpie

[Shane]

The dark lord of the Australian skies, do not mess with a magpie, particularly in the springtime.

Black fountain pen with ink wash.

 

[Bongo]

Excellent. Looks fresh and unforced. I like the background treatment and the spot of color on the eye.

 

[Artyczar]

This is so good, it's beyond simple words. I love all the crosshatching, the spot color, and the stylized vibe of your hand. Excellent work!!!

 

[CaliAnn]

He's beautiful!

 

[Triduana]

I love this!

 

[Vivien]

Beautiful! Great penwork Shane!

 

[Flowercat]

Beautiful. Love the values and the shading

 

[JennieJo]

My favourite backyard bird. Beautiful

 

[Shane]

Thank you all for your comments.

Arty - with regards to style I really have no control over this, it has a mind of it's own, be it painting or drawing. So yes totally not forced.

 

[Terri]

Details are so eye-catching it's easy to overlook that light, flowing background. Excellent job with your magpie, and the small red beady eye sets it all off. I love it!

 

[JStarr]

Great work- nicely cohesive. Congratulations

 

[bethany]

A wonderful depiction! These birds were the bane of my spring-time walks for many years. I had a real dislike of them due to being swooped many times!
When we moved here to the coast of NSW and my husband befriended the local magpies by giving them bits of cheese- they became his friends. Now the third generation visit our back door and sit on his hand to take the food. I know they have facial recognition and so I talk to them and tell them I am also their friends. Hope it works and they don't swoop me anymore!
I have come to admire their distinctive black and white plumage and have also done some quick sketches.

 

[Shane]

A wonderful depiction! These birds were the bane of my spring-time walks for many years. I had a real dislike of them due to being swooped many times!
When we moved here to the coast of NSW and my husband befriended the local magpies by giving them bits of cheese- they became his friends. Now the third generation visit our back door and sit on his hand to take the food. I know they have facial recognition and so I talk to them and tell them I am also their friends. Hope it works and they don't swoop me anymore!
I have come to admire their distinctive black and white plumage and have also done some quick sketches.

Thanks for the reply Bethany, but it's really sad to hear that you are feeding native birds heavily processed foods which is very harmful to them, please stop this practice.

 

[WFMartin]

Very creative work, for sure! Now, please tell us, were you listening to "La Gazza Ladre" ("The Thieving Magpie"), by Gioachino Rossini, as you created this piece??

 

[ams]

Well done. I like the contrast of the detail in the magpie against the simple background.