Black Head Gull Painting

Seen on the river Thames at Eton UK, where these gulls were very prolific. They allowed me to get quite near before becoming concerned. I have painted assertive Herring Gulls before, but these are smaller and very much prettier. A Rowney Cryla acrylic base coat of burnt orange applied over an extra coat of gesso on top of the manufacturers gesso finish. Opaque pigments have been used to lay down some areas, also acting as undercoating for sections of the subject matter. Subsequent layers of acrylic paint have been applied laced with Liquidex airbrush medium and deionised water to achieve a wash layer. This thin multiple layering of pigment allows for a degree of luminosity, avoiding the usual flat acrylic finish. Finished with a coat of Winsor & Newton Satin UV varnish, this not only protects the painting, but has a unifying effect. A suggested frame width of at 30mm for this painting. This makes for the best visual effect and prevents warping.