Free as a bird

MASTER PAINTERS OF THE WORLD

- Qing Zhang

Superb Fairy-wren male, watercolor on paper, 8 x 6 (21 x 15 cm) The superb fairy-wren is a much-loved small bird in Australia. No matter how many times I’ve seen them, whenever I set my foot in nature and spot a blue wren, my heart skips a beat. When working on this small painting, the first attempt wasn’t successful so days after I changed the design a little bit and made the other wingtip visible above the body. I painted the eye in focus and to catch the light, in contrast with the feather textures. There are lessons learned from failed paintings.

Most of my drawings and paintings are representational. My inspiration comes from many sources— reading literature, walking in nature, talking with others. When I decide to paint something such as a bird, I like to thoroughly research the subject. Part of the reason is that the information helps with creating the painting, but also it is just to satisfy my curiosity.

I do a lot of studies before painting. They are usually quick sketches, helping me to see the composition and tonal values. Sometimes I spend a greater amount of time studying the important details. Through these studies I learn about the subject itself, and even more importantly, about my feeling towards it. At some point they become clear to me, and I am ready to paint.