Today's Oil Study - Vultures! (but I'm keeping it)

This little vulture painting demonstrates exactly why I do these little oil studies.  I wouldn't have done a larger painting of vultures...afraid it would never sell.  But it doesn't matter if a study doesn't sell because I don't have much time invested in these little guys (a half-hour in this one).  Also, for this piece, I experimented using a pre-painted/dry board - an old 75/75 that didn't work.  I liked the background color so I saved the board and used it for this piece.  I've worked on boards that have been stained a color but never on thicker paint that is completely dry.  I usually work completely alla prima.  It was fun working on dry paint, allowing a little bit of the under painting to show through.  (the gray in the bottom right hand corner). For the background texture, I used thick paint on a large brush and dragged the brush edge over the board.  I also put the subject matter smack-dab in the middle of the board.  Why not!  It's only a study.  But I think in this case, it works because the eye goes to the large wing rather than to the center of the vulture group.

So this is why I do these little studies....I can be brave and boldly go where I've never been before. If it doesn't work, I can always turp it out.  If it does work, then I've got information I can use on larger, studio oils. 

I like this vulture study and am wondering if it will work as a larger piece, but perhaps it will lose the spontaneity if larger.  So for the moment, I'm not going to sell it.  With a tweak or two, it could be one of my two entries into Birds in Art 2012. 

203 - Vultures

5" x 7" oil study on board

Not for sale at this time