References
Shoebill storks (Balaeniceps rex) have a genuinely prehistoric look. As if they would carry some superficial knowledge hidden from us humans. I tried to portray this inexplicable power in this bird's eye with this painting. Perhaps shoebill storks have the closest look to feathery dinosaurs. Although the name suggests that they are a type of stork, they belong to the same family as herons and pelicans genetically.
They live primarily in wet swamps in Africa, especially in Uganda. These birds are pretty large: the tallest shoebills can reach 60 inches (152 cm). Sadly, the estimated number of shoebills left in the wild is around 3000-5000, mainly due to habitat loss.
The closest relative to shoebills is the Hamerkop.
Some of the reference photos I shot in Jurong Bird Park throughout the years:
The Painting Process
After collecting enough reference images, I started to prepare the painting surface. First, I covered the white canvas with a thin layer of mixed yellow ochre and burnt umber. Then, after it dried, I started to block out the composition and the tonal values with a mix of raw umber (green shade) and white. This first phase was critical: I had to establish accurate proportions and value relationships. The lighting on the bird is dramatic: it has very bright highlights and deep darks. It helps to emphasize the forms and volumes of the bird.
In the next phase, I started to add colours. On my palette, I had a mix of zinc white and titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, alizarin crimson, cobalt blue, french ultramarine, and a touch of cadmium orange and cobalt turquoise. My plan was to build the overall colour palette on the cooler, desaturated greyish blue of the feathers and the bright and warm ochre of the beak.
The most intriguing part of the shoebill is the massive beak, which looks more like a Dutch clog than a shoe. It is a result of a long adaptation to be able to catch bigger fishes; the shoebill's favourite meal is the Lungfish.
Isn't it fascinating that this ancient-looking bird's preferred prey is a similarly ancient fish? ("Lungfish are best known for retaining ancestral characteristics within the Osteichthyes, including the ability to breathe air, and ancestral structures within Sarcopterygii, including the presence of lobed fins with a well-developed internal skeleton. Lungfish represent the closest living relatives of the tetrapods." - Wikipedia.) I spent quite a bit of time painting the beak. It has a complex shape, exciting textures (some parts having some flakes and damage) and some darker marks.
The other important area was the eye. The glance of the shoebill tells so much about this bird: it feels like it is a powerful, mysterious authority. The eye is in the shade but reflects some of the bounce lights from the feathers. A dark ring around the iris adds even more emphasis to it.
The feathers on the head are very short, almost fur-like. I tried carefully building the values and the complicated colour relationships due to the lighting. Some areas hold the local colour of the feathers, some are affected by the reflecting light from the beak, and some turn shadows, accepting the muted green from the background. I wanted to handle the feathers on the body loosely. The amount of details is gradually decreasing, moving away from the head.
The bottom part of the background has a warm ochre colour reflected on the feathers facing the ground. To contrast this, the back of the bird got a cool cobalt colour. This colour harmony aligned with the direction of the different light temperatures (cool/warm) helps sense the bird's overall shape and helps separate the silhouette from the background.
I intentionally modulated the quality of the contours around the bird. As a result, some edges are very soft (the nape transitioning into shadow or the crest on the top of the head). Some other parts are clear and sharp (the contour of the beak, the highlighted edge on the chest, and the back arch).
Finishing touches
I reserved the brightest highlights for the end: the detailing phase. The most amount of details required part was the beak. In addition, certain shadows on the bill are warm due to the material's translucent nature. The video below shows how I added some of the highlights. I'm using a mahl stick I made recently. It helps stabilise my hand when higher precision is necessary. (Click on the bottom right corner of the video to maximize it on the screen.)
The final painting
Most likely, the oil paint dries quite fast because of the general weather conditions here (Singapore). So I need to plan what to paint in one seat. The paint the next day will be dry to the touch. It won't mix anymore with a fresh layer of paint. (Oleogel can help on that; more about mediums I'm experimenting with in another post.)
Overall, it was an inspiring and enjoyable project. I am looking forward to painting this bird again in the future!
