Resource Treasures

I love to paint birds and other wildlife. In these instances having a good reference to get a fairly good likeness is needed but sometimes this reference material can also provide inspiration over and over. I am always grateful when a photographer gives me permission to create from an image that fires me up. An added bonus is an image that can be used more than once. This is the case with a beautiful photo courtesy Dianne Cross, a Sulphur crested cockatoo she captured flying across a paddock .
The first painting I created was donated to raise funds for a wildlife rescue centre. I then painted it a second time for a demo I gave to the South Australian Watercolour Society some time ago, changing the format and colour palette.
The same reference photo gave me the shape required for a different cockatoo, by choosing soft pinks and orangey reds I was able to paint the Major Mitchell cockatoo. Great reference images become your resource treasures.