Flamingos and Balance

sketch of flamingo design, work in progressFlamingo Paisleys sketch, mixed media by Kerry McFall

The San Diego Zoo welcomes you with a breath-taking splash of Hot Caribbean Pink, the perfect color therapy for difficult times.  The Flamingo Pond caught my eye for sketching the minute I walked through the entry last week – such gorgeous, elegant colors and shapes!  Out came the watercolors and the squeezy brush, and splish-splash I almost captured those vibrant pinky-oranges.  A week later back at home, I pulled out my sketchbook again and studied the shapes more closely.  I decided that flamingos are really a simple series of paisleys… I sketched out my impressions on the painting, and plan to work them into one of my “diangle” projects.

But the flamingos weren’t finished with me.

flamingo on one leg, painting and ink

“Flamingo Balance”, mixed media by Kerry McFall

I tried another painting from my photos of just one bird, balancing on one leg and looking quite smug.  Even the tiniest of eyes can convey conceit:  “I can stand on one leg forever and you fall over after 10 seconds – hah!”  I need to work on lengthening the neck and legs for my next bird… and on my own balance!

“Flamingo Balance”, by Kerry McFall close-up on eye