Double-barred Finches - Indian Yellow - The Holmes Art Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art

August Dry (Double-barred Finches) Handmade watercolour on Khadi handmade watercolour paper, 30 x 42cm, © Matteo Grilli

I was visiting a popular birding spot in Brisbane, Oxley Creek Common, on a very dry August day, a small flock of Double-barred Finches was busy finding food on the path and on the dry grasses nearby.

Indian Yellow makes a wonderful primary yellow, it leans towards orange in thick applications while it becomes a lemony yellow in light tints and washes. The Indian Yellow I make mixes beautifully with Prussian Blue for very natural greens or with Madder Red Deep for muted oranges, and Carmine for bright oranges and reds. It is staining and only lifts to a degree. Find it on Etsy.

One of my watercolours (Summer's End - Chestnut-breasted Mannikins) was selected as a finalist together with 34 more artists for the Holmes Art Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art 2019, all the amazing artworks will be exposed at Mary Cairncross Reserve, Maleny until October 13.

Demonstrations at the Gallery

Two more Saturdays left to demonstrate at the International Wildlife in Art 2018 exhibition. I have enjoyed painting and meeting people very much. I will be there on Saturday 21st (Family Fun Day) from 10 to 4 and on Saturday 28th from 10 to 4 for my last demonstration on the closing day of the exhibition. 

Logan Art Gallery, Cnr Wembley Road & Jacaranda Avenue Logan Central Q 4114 Gallery Hours 10am -5pm Tuesday to Saturday.

My desk set up for my demonstration.

Grey Fantail

Grey Fantail, watercolour on Khadi paper, 17 x 30 cm, © Matteo Grilli

Australian Painted Lady - a miniature life-size watercolour of a butterfly

Australian Painted Lady, handmade watercolours on Fabriano paper, 13 x 13 cm, © Matteo Grilli

Pied Stilts

Pied Stilts, watercolour and gouache on coloured board, 21.5 x 29.5 cm, © Matteo Grilli

Double-eyed Fig-parrots on the Daintree River

Double-eyed Fig-parrots, handmade watercolour on Fabriano paper, 24 x 24 cm, © Matteo Grilli

This painting resulted after my trip to tropical north Queensland, the parrots are Double-eyed Fig-parrots, race macleayana and the river is the Daintree. I have composed this artwork putting together a number of photos. The bird on the left is the male, the female is on the right.

This image is available as a greeting card.

Red-necked Wallabies Watercolour

Red-necked Wallabies Macropus rufogriseus, handmade watercolours on Fabriano coloured paper, 22 x 24 cm, © Matteo Grilli

This watercolour painting is also available as a greeting card.

Detail

Work in progress

Saltwater Crocodile

Saltwater Crocodile - Crocodylus porosus, handmade ink, handmade watercolour, white gouache on toned paper, 23 x 37 cm, © Matteo Grilli 2015

For this watercolour of a Saltwater Crocodile I used a different technique which was great fun. I laid a light wash of Burnt Umber to give an off-white tone to the paper, then I sketched a light pencil drawing of the Crocodile. Then, I decided to draw a more detailed sketch using Chinese black ink obtained from a traditional ink stick ground with some water on an ink stone (see materials on the top right hand corner of the image), the ink was then loaded on to the dipping pen's nib with a brush.

After I finished with the ink drawing, I started applying washes and glazes of watercolour.

At last I used some white gouache to highlight the colour of the teeth.

Pacific Black Duck, Avian Faces Series and Handmade Watercolour Paints.

Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa, watercolour on paper, 27.5 x 35 cm,  © Matteo Grilli 2015

Here is the full series of original bird portraits from the Avian Faces Series 2012, three birds, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, the Boobook Owl and the Bush-stone Curlew for a total of twelve small watercolour portraits, all artworks are now available.

And this is my handmade full watercolour range, this is a beautiful, versatile and minimal watercolour palette with five earth colours out of eight.

Lace Monitor

Lace Monitor, watercolour on paper, 30 x 30 cm,  © Matteo Grilli 2015

I was visiting North Stradbroke Island and enjoying the beautiful shore of the Brown Lake when I heard something scratching on a tree, this 2m-long Lace Monitor was climbing a gum tree not far from the lake shore. Now, this Lace Monitor watercolour has been published as a greeting card by Nuovo Group.

The Coastal Artisans gallery in Peregian Beach is now stocking my Giclee prints as well as some original framed works, if you find yourself around the Sunshine Coast area, the Coastal Artisans gallery, the Baked Poetry Cafe and the beautiful beach are certainly worth a visit.