3 White Ducks

The start of 2010 has certainly been a snowy one! Here in London we only saw about 2 inches, but that was enough to disrupt transport, which meant I had to spend an extra day at home this week. I spent this day painting some Pekin Ducks. I took some lovely photos of these ducks when I was in Wiltshire recently, and they were certainly very photogenic.
I tried including a vaguely abstract background, however I am not sure it has had a positive result. The ground underneath their feet is textured and successful, but I feel the orange behind them is too scruffy and distracting. The idea was to have a background that compliments the blue feathers, which is striking, but I think I need a lot more practice. I am pleased with the ducks. They seem relaxed, enjoying the warm sunlight that is shining on their bodies.
I am going to paint some more ducks, but next time they will be Indian Runners. These strange fowl are so full of character and movement that they will be a lot of fun to recreate in watercolour.