Arts and crafts
#animals #birds #paper #Sarah Suplina #watercolor
Rooster. All images © Sarah Suplina, shared with permission
Drawing inspiration from the vibrant patterns of nature, Sarah Suplina reproduces the radiant feathers and piercing eyes of a variety of birds. Connecticut Artist creates detailed, realistic animal portraits of species she selects for their distinctive plumage and expressions, painting on lightly textured watercolor paper to achieve the vivid hues of chickens, ducks and songbirds. “I love the subtle value and color surprises I get with watercolors,” she says, using the medium to create gradients and contrasts that reveal richness and depth.
Taking approximately six to ten hours to complete, each bird presents its own complexities and obstacles. “I found the subtle tonal colors of the doves difficult to capture properly,” says Suplina. She often selects birds at random, but her environment is a constant source of ideas. A series called Court Beauties captures individuals spotted through his kitchen window and his ongoing project dove of love focuses on the pigeons and doves she sees in her neighborhood and on walks through New York. “Birds are so full of personality and variation, and they’re an artist’s dream to create, especially with paper,” she says.
Suplina’s work will be featured in the next book Sewn Journeys with Birds: Inspiration to unleash your creativity, scheduled for publication in September by Schiffer Craft. You can find originals and intricate prints in her Etsy shop and on Society6. Explore her website to learn more about her work and find updates on Instagram.
Quail
hen of the woods
Goldfinches
ground dove
Pigeons
Mourning Doves
Rooster
Doves
Tit
#animals #birds #paper #Sarah Suplina #watercolor
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