Trapper

[quang]

You probably got a point here, Gary.

Placed on one corner of the base, the tree would serve as a magnet directing the viewer's attention to the bird. The viewing sequence would be: trapper > tree >bird.

Another trick to grab the viewer's attention would be to play on the colours. The scene would be predominantly white (water and snow) with two brightly coloured spots (trapper and bird) as the centres of focus.

Joe, concerning the bird, you might want to check out with Johan, our resident bird expert (I'm not kidding ). He will tell you exactly which species would be likely in the region in that particular time of the year.

HTH
Q.

 

[Anders Heintz]

I also think the bird will be one those things you dont notice unless you look closer, which will attract a closer look becase you think what else can I find!

 

[Johan]

Looks like a nice project. I found a larger image with more detail:

Now as for the bird, that could be any songbird species in early springtime living anywhere near the upper Missouri before 1850. I can see a dark brown shape with grey belly, very difficult to say what that is. I suggest you take some artistic licence here, that's probably what Lee Teter also did.

I don't know what scale that figure is, but a bird in miniature is really very small ... ... Good luck !

 

[Jason W.]

Can't wait to see this come together.

Looking great so far Joe!

 

[Johan]

Ok, here's a suggestion for a common songbird of the Rockies that looks like the one in Teter's painting.

It's called "pink-sided Junco" and it's a Rocky Mountains version of the species "dark-eyed Junco". You can find info and pictures here:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllA...Junco.html#fig1

Good luck,

Johan

 

[Joe Hudson]

Hey guys,

Thanks so much for the feed back. Now I really have to try and do a good job. I think it will be kinda cool to have the whole seen and I like the idea Quang of putting the tree in a corner. Like you said Gary it will kind of frame it.

Johan,

Thanks so much for the bird info. I will bookmark this one.

I have a question for all of you and you can tell me your thoughts. I know the scene will be a lot of whites so I wanted to paint the trapper in the blues and a red hat and I had thought of making the bird a Cardinal. I thought with it being red it would allow a little more color. This is just a thought and I look forward to hearing what you all think.

Joe

 

[Johan]

I had thought of making the bird a Cardinal

... Eh... well, Joe, of course it's your model and you are allowed any artistic licence you want to take.

BUT : The Northern cardinal is originally - in the 19th century - a species from the southeastern USA. It has dramatically increased in numbers and spread to the west and north in the 20th century due to the feeders that people in the USA put in their gardens. I don't think that your trapper would have ever met a cardinal in the Rocky Mountains, and still today it would be hard to find one there !

I have read 19th century diaries of white settlers in the state of Missouri, which say that "redbirds" or Cardinals and - can you believe this - Carolina parakeets (!) were the most abundant birds there - but I guess the state of Missouri is far more to the east than the scene you want to make a model of.

If you want something red, then I'd suggest a Crossbill in a spruce tree.

Hope this helps,

Johan

 

[Joe Hudson]

Johan,

Now you have went and done it!! I have no idea what to do! :lol: No really thanks, I just wanted to put a bird of some color. I live here in MO and like you said I have seen tons of Cards. We even have a bright yellow bird with black wings. I will take your advice and would like to know if there is anything that may have some color, just to try and help the viewer. If this is not possible I will use the first one you had given me.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Johan]

A yellow bird with black wings - must be Goldfinches I guess . One of my favourites.

I'll have a further look into the possibilities, and I'll try to come up with something more colourful.

fyi : the Junco I first suggested seems also to be better known as the "Snowbird" in America... perhaps it is a fitting subject after all ?

I could send an ill. from a field guide of the cardinal and crossbill (both red) if you like. The Crossbill is one that might be present in the Rockies, although it prefers evergreen trees - pines and spruce, not a tree such as in that painting.

 

[Johan]

 

[Automata]

When I think of songbirds of the great Rocky Mountain outdoors, the first one that comes to my mind is the Western Meadowlark: http://www.imperial.cc.ca.us/birds/med-lark.htm

It would add a bit of color to the scene also.

Barry

 

[yeo_64]

Joe,my friend,glad to see that you're back in "business" :lol: ! AWESOME choice of subject there .Will this be for the World Expo next year ? Looking forward to the next portion of the project,Joe. Cheers !
Kenneth

 

[Joe Hudson]

Johan,

Thanks for the info and the picture. I think you are right about the choice of bird but my only fear is that it might get lost in the scene. I may have to take some liberty but it is still aways off.

Barry,

Thanks for the other choice. I like the meadowlark with the touch of yellow. Man I thought this was going to be an easy figure. :lol:

Kenneth,

How are you buddy? Thanks for the kind words. I hope to have him finished by expo. I would really like to have him done by the next Atlanta show.

Joe

 

[Johan]

Hey Joe, don't worry - take some artistic liberty and make it a Steller's jay, that's a good Rocky Mountains bird, it's quite large for a songbird and it adds a nice touch of deep phtalo blue to the scene.

Now of course, you then have a problem again with the title "working for a song", as the Steller's jay - a corvid - only produces raucous calls ... unless it mimicks another bird's song . It would also allow you to place the bird close to the trapper, as Jays are said to follow humans for food.


http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllA...ellers_Jay.html

 

[garyjd]

The picture of the trapper I sent Joe as the inspiration for the figure really depicts either a French or American colonial trapper, not the type seen west of the Mississippi in the 1800's. I would place this guy somewhere in the Ohio Valley, New England or lower Canada which might open up possibilities for a more colorful bird.~Gary

 

[Johan]

I would place this guy somewhere in the Ohio Valley, New England or lower Canada which might open up possibilities for a more colorful bird

...Aha... that opens perspectives indeed ! :lol: Thank you Gary.

So how about the Northern cardinal, the fire truck bird which seems to be everybody's favourite ? I quote from JJ Audubon's "Birds of America" to give you an idea of where this species could be found around 1850:

"It is very abundant in all our Southern States, as well as in the peninsula of the Floridas. In the western country a great number are found as far up on the Ohio as the city of Cincinnati, and they extend to considerable distances into Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. They are found in the maritime districts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where they breed, and where a few remain the whole year; some are also seen in the State of New York, and now and then a straggler proceeds into Massachusetts; but farther eastward this species has never been observed. "

"The Cardinal-bird breeds in the Floridas. In the beginning of March I found them already paired in that country, and on the 8th of February near General HERNANDEZ's. In the neighbourhood of Charleston, as well as in Louisiana, they are nearly a month later, and much the same lapse of time takes place again before they form a nest in the State of New Jersey or in that of Kentucky."

"This species is very abundant in Texas, where, as in our Southern States, it is a constant resident. Mr. TOWNSEND has observed it on the waters of the Upper Missouri. According to Dr. T. M. BREWER, it is but a chance visitor in Massachusetts during summer, indeed so rare, that he never knew certainly but of one pair which bred in the Botanical Garden, Cambridge, about six years ago, and departed in the fill, with their young. The eggs measure one inch and half an eighth in length, five-eigths and a third in breadth, and are thus elongated, although the smaller end is well rounded."

"Breeds abundantly from Texas to New York. Very rare in Massachusetts. Valleys of the Mississippi and Missouri, Kentucky and Ohio. Resident from Maryland southward. "

Well, if your 19th century trapper would be in one of the above regions, then he might see a cardinal. I rest my case now, before the forum hosts slap my wrists for making this into an ornithology forum.

Good luck with the trapper,

J.

 

[quang]

Cardinal? You mean Richelieu?

Oops, off topic!

 

[John Long]

I personally think a Cardinal would be most appropriate given your locale. They have a legitimate shot at the World Series this year too! Couldn't resist. We're getting a AA team here next year under the same name, so Cardinal sounds right to me.

Seriously, I wondered at the locale in the painting given the grassy banks in the surroundings. People (myself included) think trappers and think mountains. Trapping and trading for furs is what pretty much created cities like St. Louis, New Orleans and other river towns up and down the Mississippi.

 

[Johan]

World series ... are we talking about a base ball team from St Louis now ? :lol:

Here's another very colourful bird from the rocky mountain area:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllA...rn_Tanager.html

:lol: Enjoy !

By the way, Joe, what scale is your figure - and bird - going to be in? 54mm is VERY small if you want to do a small songbird... man, you'll have to use a microscope !

 

[Guy]

I am sure as Joe is famous for his "Tartan Paint" that he also has a bottle of "songbird Paint" around too :lol: