Birhtu - Means Bright

Birhtu is one of the beautiful kingfishers I am sometimes fortunate to see on my local river the Ouse, which according to a very knowlegable friend has a good population of these birds. They fly very low over the water and have a particular call like a shrill whistle, they are so incredibly fast and the most exotic colours.
 
I worked on several ideas in colour before I felt brave enough to paint this bird in the myriad of rainblow colours which make up it's plumage, I didn't draw it first but painted it directly. I am a huge admirer of John Ruskin's kingfisher painting also done in watercolour which shows his marvellous use of colours
 
Watercolour
 
27x19cm