Original artwork description:

Oil painting on canvas of an Atlantic Puffin. Puffins are shorebirds that are known to inhabit rocky ledges on the east coast of the United States and other areas of the North Atlantic. Their colorful bills are actually only present during breeding season, and then they shed them every year, once it is over.

Although appearing stocky and less than agile on land, they are very adept flyers, beating their wings approximately 400 times per minute, and they can actually reach speeds of 55 miles per hour. They are also very good swimmers, since they can dive to depths of 200 feet, although they usually make shorter dives lasting from 20-30 seconds... when they are fishing for food, with their diet consisting of mainly small fish; like herring or sand eels.

I love the colorful, almost clown-like appearance of Puffins and also their comical mannerisms. Painting one, gave me the chance to expand my ability to explore color, especially in the white feathers that are in shadow on the face and chest...which as you can see, are really not 'white' at all.

Kind permission was given for use of this photo reference, by wildlife photographer, Gary Jones. (pmp-art) website.

Materials used:

oil paint, linseed oil (painting medium)