Pidgeon Study in time for Watercolor Wednesday

I had hoped to post the digitalis (foxgloves) that I started working on earlier this week.

Unfortunately, the two studies I have done of them have flat and dull blossoms. I have learned that each small tubular flowers needs to have its shadow painted to give dimension. However, I haven't found the value change or the warm/cool color shifts that will make each blossom as beautiful as  they are in life.

In the meanwhile. this is a study of a pidgeon that is my center of interest in a large painting I am working on. My goals for this bird were 1. have the lights and darks make an interesting abstract pattern
2. get the iridescent shine on the bird's breast and.

 The colors I used included pthalo green, passionate purple, diaxozine purple, cobalt teal, indigo, sepia and burnt sienna. The feet were done with alizarin crimson and scarlet red and the eyes with indian yellow, and transparent orange with the other colors.

Back to the foxgloves as my morning warm up tomorrow.