Entering the Water - Common Gulls

The common gull, also known as the mew gull, is found in North America as well as in Europe.

This is a simple painting , a sort of study. It began as a pencil drawing, which I decided to cover with an acrylic wash. I allowed the pencil to show through to carry the contours shown by the pencil shadings. I like the effect of the pencil texture. For a colour scheme I chose a restrained and harmonious use of beige, brown and gray to give an intimate feeling. I was quite conscious of placing the birds so that the spaces between them had interesting negative shapes.