Bald Eagle ~ "Shadows of the Sky" ~ Pastel Little Wonders Pastel's dry

Pastel's dry

This raptor pastel drawing captures the intense focus and fierce grace of these majestic birds of prey through fierce

The pileated's striking red crest demanded pigments that could hold both intensity and transparency — the Gansai reds deliver that beautifully

unhurried walk through shallow water that makes these birds look like they own every inch of the marsh

Wet-on-wet mineral pigment washes built the red through layered passes that glow from within the paper

Bald Eagle ~ "Shadows of the Sky" ~ Pastel Little Wonders Pastel's dryThis bald eagle pastel art strips away the patriotic symbolism and shows the bird for what it actually is a massive, fierce raptor with a seven foot wingspan and a gaze that makes you understand why nothing in the sky challenges it. I wanted to paint the eagle you'd see if you came around a bend in a river and found one staring at you from a dead tree. Not majestic. Not symbolic. Just powerfully, undeniably present. I worked in pastel for this piece