Soar Purpose

19/06/2026

Some snippets from my latest painting session. Basically hold phone with one hand, paint with the other, for short bursts.

Actual painting session was over an hour. I get quite immersed into it. Just tweaks to go.

From my latest painting session.Now mixing some white into most l...

19/06/2026

Phone pics of a painting-in-progress, under artificial lighting (as I tend to paint at night).

Pics before and after the painting session.

Just final tweaks to go. To make it easier to see what kind of tweaks are needed, I convert to greyscale.

I want the beak to be the focus.

Haven't decided where to sign it.

Original painting, building up layers of pigmented acrylics.

15/06/2026

Progress pics showing before and after a painting session.

Used glazes to deepen colours. Haven't used white or black with colours yet.

Will need to let the painting dry for a few days, otherwise painting can lift when rewet it. Is not usually an issue with canvas but I do notice this happening when I use the smooth gessoed panel.

I prefer painting on canvas.

Artist-grade pigmented paints.

Has been correctly identified as a tahake, a flightless bird in New Zealand, presumed extinct until quite recently.

Using my own photos as reference pics.

14/06/2026

A few snippets from today's painting session, showing brushstrokes with a feather-like touch.

Aim was to cover the underpainting. Didn't use white in these layers.

To let completely dry before continuing.

No detail other than care with edge of beak.

Some of the feather-like brush strokes from a painting session.Lo...

14/06/2026

Progress pics from today's painting session.

Didn't use any black or white in the layers over the underpainting.

Was adding glazes, taking care with beak shape. Otherwise, everything else was quite messy.

Needs to dry completely so paint doesn't lift, before can continue.

Will build up more layers. Often with fur, hair and feathers, it can be easier to go from darks to lights.

Subject is New Zealand's largest flightless bird.

13/06/2026

One of the things I enjoy most about painting is using a custom palette for each painting.

It is simply not true that one can mix ALL colours from 3 primary pigments.

Different pigments have different particle sizes, opacity, transparency, hues etc and will give different results when mixed or glazed.

There are endless possibilities and I enjoy exploring that.

These two paintings use some similar techniques but I have used different palettes. Including earthy pigments which I previously dismissed as "boring" colours.

Two paintings using some similar techniques but there are some diff...

13/06/2026

Made adjustments to the underpainting, which was in burnt sienna, mainly to map out the composition.

Mainly made the beak larger.

When I want to mask over for lighter areas, I use a student grade white, which is thinner than titanium white. Subsequent layers with colours mixed with titanium white should give full coverage.

The colours will be mostly purples and blues.

New name idea: "Borb".

Reference pics (taken my myself) are of New Zealand's largest flightless bird, recently presumed extinct. Bought back from the brink of extinction.

13/06/2026

This painting is now up on the wall of my rented bedroom, which is also my art studio. Awaiting an opportunity to exhibit it.

Showing the difference varnish makes.

Applied 2 coats of varnish with a gloss finish to "Hive".Clip sho...

12/06/2026

Final pics of recent paintings, 'Hive' and 'Red Alert'. Both painted with acrylics with very different styles. I don't like to stay confined to any subject or style.

I take the final pics BEFORE varnishing, so there are no extra reflections (a bit like glass in the way). For more even lighting, I take the paintings outdoors into natural light.

Aiming to varnish these soon plus make some more progress with a bird painting.

11/06/2026

I don't paint everyday. However, I do wear lipstick most days for a colour boost. Sometimes I film which colours I use from my modest makeup collection during my getting ready for work routine.

I actually own more paint than makeup. Makeup can be a way of enjoying colour. I improvise.

Usually I paint over the weekends. Hoping to make more progress with a bird painting.

My name is Xanthe. I am 53 years old.I sometimes film some of my ...