African penguin

 Acrylics on canvasboard, 7 x 5 inches:

Cape hunting dog

Oil on Masonite, ACEO (= about 65 x 90 mm):

I haven't painted anything in ages, but have been itching to do so, and to try out a medium I haven't used in years, namely oils. I was rather relieved to see that while my painting has become a bit rusty, my old oil paints are for the most part still perfectly usable.

To start with, I stuck to a limited palette of black, white, yellow ocher and burnt umber. For this sort of subject matter you don't really need much else anyway, though the reference photo I used was definitely more colorful, particularly in the background.

Lilac-breasted roller

Acrylics on Masonite, 15 x 10 cm:

SOLD

Cape turtle dove

Acrylics on Masonite, ACEO (= 2.5 x 3.5 inch = 64 x 89 mm):

This item may be for sale on my Bid-or-Buy store. 

Red-billed hornbill

Acrylics on Masonite, 20 x 15 cm:

The hornbills have a rather strange system of breeding. They breed in hollows in trees. The opening is mostly blocked off with a plaster made of mud and droppings, leaving only a narrow opening through which the male feeds the female and her chicks. When the hole becomes too small for its occupants, the female breaks out; the opening is then resealed as before, and the chicks fed by both parents until they are ready to leave the nest.

This item may be for sale on my Bid-or-Buy store. 

Caracal

Acrylics on Masonite, 20 x 15 cm:

I am not overly fond of painting predators. When I do, I decidedly prefer the smaller, lesser known ones, rather than the big glamorous ones like lions or leopards. Caracals are medium sized cats, and quite common throughout much of Africa, the Middle East and India, but are elusive and seldom seen.

This item may be for sale on my Bid-or-buy store.

Three springbok

Acrylics on Masonite, 20 x 15 cm:

The name springbok is from Afrikaans, meaning "jumping antelope." These medium-sized antelope are found in suitable habitat through much of the western half of southern Africa. They get their name from a curious behaviour known as "pronking" (from the Afrikaans, meaning "to show off"), in which they jump into the air in a stiff-legged posture. It is not clear what the purpose of this behaviour is.

This item may be for sale on my Bid-or-Buy store. 

Bullfrog

Acrylics on Masonite, 10 x 15 cm:

SOLD

The Afrikaans name for these huge frogs is "brulpadda" ("roaring frog"), and refers to their raucous calls, which can be heard from a very long way off. It is a common night sound after good rains, when the females lay their eggs in temporary stands of water.

Southern Red Bishop

Acrylics on Masonite, 20 x 15 cm:

SOLD

The bishop birds are part of the weaver family, and like other weavers, in the breeding season the males turn into bright colors, build woven nests and engage in mating displays in an attempt to attract females. In the non-breeding season, they lose their bright feathers and turn drab like the females.

Orange-breasted waxbill

Acrylic on Masonite, 15 x 20 cm:

SOLD

These colorful critters are fairly common along water courses in the eastern half of southern Africa. They're pretty small and elusive though, so usually you have sit quietly for a while before you wil see them, often in small groups, flitting from perch to perch.

Sacred ibis

Acrylic on Masonite, 25 x 20 cm:

SOLD

White-fronted bee-eaters

Acrylic on Masonite, 25 x 20 cm:

SOLD

Malachite kingfisher

Acrylic on Masonite, 20 x 15 cm:

SOLD

Black-eyed bulbul

Acrylic on Masonite, 20 x 15 cm:

SOLD

Common garden birds in the eastern half of South Africa. In the west, the are replaced by the red-eyed bulbul, which is almost identical, except for a red ring around the eye.

Cape robin-chat

Acrylic on Masonite, 15 x 20 cm:

SOLD

These birds used to be known simply as Cape robins - not difficult to see why, as they look rather like European robins, but are found in South Africa. Then, some years ago, the powers that be in bird nomenclature made extensive changes to the common names of lots of birds, presumably in an attempt to standardize names, and the Cape robin also got renamed. 

Early bird (hoopoe)

Acrylic on Masonite, 15 x 20 cm:

SOLD

I saw this hoopoe in the early morning gloom, looking for breakfast - the early bird does indeed get the worm. Took a quick reference photo or two. The light was so low that the photo came out fuzzy and grainy, but it was still suitable as reference.

Cape sparrow

Acrylic on Masonite, 15 x 20 cm:

SOLD

A bird and a big beast

Red-headed finch on a branch. Acrylic on Masonite, 15 x 20 cm:

SOLD

A big beast in a small painting: Grazing elephant. Acrylic on Masonite, ACEO, i.e. 2.5 x 3.5 inch (64 x 89 mm):

SOLD

 

Small gifts

Gifts for various people about to embark on long journeys, in the form of a bunch of small paintings of subject matter they happen to like. All done in acrylics on Masonite. The elephant is an ACEO (2.5 x 3.5 inches in size = 64 x 89 mm), and the other two are 10 x 15 cm:

Masked weaver

More precisely, Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus) male, building a nest. Acrylic on Masonite, 20 x 15 cm:

SOLD