The Human Canvas: The Bird of Paradise

The Bird of Paradise. 

Also referred to by its genus, strelitzia.

 (thank you Andre). 

Native to South Africa, it's commonly known as a "crane flower". 

(thank you Wikipedia).

While native to South Africa, it thrives all around the world...

...As do African daisies (genus...somethin' else). 

Here, in Redlands, California.

But back to the bird. Bird to the back?

Back to the beginning?

AH!

The beginning of the back!

Okay. I was gonna start with a shot of the blank canvas, then do the whole step by step accompanying narrative thing.

But we already know what this is gonna be. 

Really, simply a continuation of one of a few blending techniques I picked up recently, and stacking the pieces,

one by one.

I REALLY need to find the picture I used for reference. 

What you see pictured below actually IS EVER so 

close to what was on the photograph. 

Man! I need to find that.

So...of course I was trying to do a good job on the drawing...

...but that's not all I had in mind.It was a beautiful day. 

Time to go outside...

 ...amongst the REAL Birds of Paradise. 

No more building on the drawing...just go into the plants.

Then play with the light...

...the shadows

and more.

THEN go to the African daisies...

...and do it again. 

These multiple shots are also allowing me to experiment with various post-effects on close to the same shot.

Of course there WERE things. 

 I noticed that I really shoulda added more greenery. 

More leaves...maybe a second bird?

Next time. Next time. 

And I'm still cropping and tweaking. 

Some of these images may change...just a bit.

Some may be replaced.

So check back to this entry.

Give it a bookmark. Or do a simple Google search.

The Human Canvas - The Bird of Paradise.

There'll most certainly be updates,

but ALREADY...

 ...there are some real beauties!

Thank you Lydia.