#8: Hummingbird

"Hummingbird"

Bark and acrylic paint

4"x 6"

The subject of my creation is a blue jay which I painted on a piece of bark. This shows different textures and blue shades throughout the bird. My inquiry question that I'm focusing on throughout the year is, “how can I show the beauty in birds through shape and color,” so on this project I wanted to experiment with texture and materials. I choose this bird because it is symbolic to Maine, which gives this piece a deeper meaning and relation to my other projects.

I found bark in the woods and then used acrylic paint to paint an image of a blue jay on top. I wanted the bark to represent the background of a tree, where birds usually are spotted. The bark made the texture of the bird look unique. I want to continue to work on this piece and add a stick to make the bird have a base to sit on.

I used color in my artwork to express the birds beauty through the different shades of blue. Throughout the background I show texture due to the uneven surface of the bark. In my piece I also showed color in the blue jay, it makes it stand out from the dark background and makes the bird stand out. I wanted to experiment with my material choices, so I decided to use an object that is significant to birds, like bark. It was hard to adjust to the texture, but I really like how the texture makes the bird look unique. My next steps in this project would be to continue to develop the background, by adding something for the bird to stand on and add feet to the bird.