This afternoon, I finished an illustration of a female Costa’s Hummingbird (Calypte costae), which I’ll donate to the Salem Art Association for their upcoming “Clay Ball” gala fund raiser. It’s a small piece–roughly 2.5 inches high by 3.5 inches wide, but hummingbirds are such jewels they seem radiant and expansive despite their dimunitive size and the artwork reflects this.
If you’ve ever spotted a Costa’s Hummingbird in the Sonoran or Mojave Deserts of the American Southwest, you may have seen the brilliant violet gorget (throat patch) and crown; this is the male’s coloration. My illustration depicts a female with her white throat and underside. She looks very similar to the female Anna’s Hummingbird, which is native to the Pacific Northwest.
Although I’m a big fan of isolating a natural science subject on a white background (thank you, Albrecht Durer), in this work, I’ve chosen to represent an abstracted and mottled color field behind the dried branch upon which the bird is perched. I like the ”cotton ball” look of these little guys (and gals) when the weather turns chilly; they fluff up their feathers to stay warm. Using fluid acrylics, pastel pencils, artist crayon and colored pencil in successive layers allowed me to render this fluffy look nicely.
To view my illustration, visit my website: http://sorrelstudio.weebly.com. Purchasing this original is easy and fun. Visit www.salemart.org, click on “Clay Ball” in the left-hand menu and purchase your ticket(s) for this wonderful event. Enjoy food, wine, entertainment and the knowledge that your attendance and art purchase will help the Salem Art Association continue providing arts education, exhibits and cultural events for the community for years to come!
