Black Grouse

I started watching 8 Out of 10 Bats in the absence of Autumnwatch, and they had some great footage of Black Grouse at a lek, and as I was missing my big Fariano sketchbook, I decided to do some studies of these fabulous game birds. A combination of Ecosia images (I don’t use Google) and paused YouTube gave me enough to work with, and I used graphite, ink, gouache, coloured pencil and water-soluble pencil. It would look more Instagram-worthy if I hadn’t slopped ultramarine ink in the top right corner, and then smudged the lettering but then again, a sketchbook is a place to play and mess up and generally not feel any pressure so I redeemed the situation as best I could with a paper patch and some white gouache, respectively. I also did a little sketch in my everyday Stillman & Birn sketchbook. They are such dramatic-looking birds, and that indigo blue plumage is divine, especially against the white feathers. All this in the heathery muted palette of the uplands. Marvellous.

My Black Grouse illustration features in Birds of the North West Highlands and Hill & Heathland Birds. The original hangs on my friend’s gallery wall.

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In other news, Birds of Arundel and Birds of the South Downs have featured in the December edition of Country Living magazine:

Perfect stocking fillers!