Almost there - Spoonbill

My next painting may be a memorial one.  There was a tragedy at the barn yesterday.  My horses are fine, but a pretty bay arabian named Tap Dancer was lost.

More to come.  It's just heartbreaking.

In the meantime... I focused by finishing the Spoonbill.  Tomorrow I will varnish, so it's not completely done yet.

The wing was a big reason why I chose to do this.  I thought the fiddly tonal changes would be good for me... since I really don't know what the hell I'm doing.  Very slow going.

Done!

I am proudest of the transparent bits of feathers, of all things.  Like the ones below (the big one above the leg, and then the ones over the foot).