Sunday, August 1, 2010

Northern Cardinal Watercolor Sketch - Linda C. Miller

Here is a watercolor sketch of the Northern Cardinal from a wildlife mapping walk on the Virginia Wildlife and Birding Greensprings Trail.  When I walk on this part of the trail, I often see and hear two male cardinals, whose breeding territories seem to meet at the bridge.  When one crosses over the line so to speak, the other is quick to hurry the intruder back to other side!


Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Watercolor Sketch on 300 lb Hot Press Paper
8 x 8 inches


Fun Fact:  Seven states adopted the Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, as their state bird and these same states each share a border with at least one of the other six.


Do the map...........Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentury, West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina!







Linda C. Miller
Williamsburg, Virginia
Artist, Naturalist and Instructor

5 comments:

  1. Gorgeous, Linda! I've got a pair nesting right outside my new little studio...

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  2. Oh thank you Kate! I had a hard time getting the red to "stand up". I finally put on a Cad Red, student grade.

    Do you or anyone else know of a more transparent red that doesn't wash out?

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  3. I don't, really. Not sure how transparent Daniel Smith's Pyrrol Scarlet is sort of the same color, but I don't see it in the latest catalog. It's supposed to be semi-transparent, I think. I just use Cad Red. :-)

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  4. ...so beautiful. I love all the movement in the watercolor and the posture of the cardinal--that slight upward tilt of the head is lovely.

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