DrawWithMike.net

I thought this bower bird which was busily building its bower and collecting colourful objects to attract a mate would make an interesting subject to draw, but am struggling with it and am wondering what it needs and whether it is worth persevering . I have used panpastel in the background and StabiloCarbothello pastel pensils for detail, but am finding it rather flat . I'm thinking that I need to highlight the bird (although he is rather drab in real life)and emphasize the foreground pebbles more, but not sure how to handle the bower, which is an intricate mass of intertwined branches , Any advice most welcome!!

This is lovely! I think that you handled the bower branch tangle very well.

I don’t have experience with pastels, but if I were drawing this in graphite, I think that I would try darkening the bower behind the bird which would make him stand out more and push him forward. I don’t know how faithful this photo is to your original, so maybe that area is actually darker in real life.

As for whether it’s worth persevering, it absolutely is!!

I think this is a female satin bower bird, as the male is glossy black, the female has this mottled greeny brown look you have portrayed. I think you need to brighten up all the blues. Especially the eyes - as with this bird the eyes are a startling blue and they collect and are attracted to items of the same hue.
And as Lauren suggest, darken the background.
The beak is too long and pointy. They have more of a thicker, finch like beak.
https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles/satin-bowerbird/
keep going Jean, the work has real promise.

Thanks for the suggestion, Laurene and Linda. I will definitely darken the background. Actually this is a male Great Bower Bird which was in the grounds of Cicada Lodge where we stayed near Katherine in the Northern Territory . They are more common in the far north of Australia and unlike most male birds which are normally the more colourful, he was a drab grey/brown colour, so think I may have to emphasize more of the white to make him stand out???

I stand corrected!
...will discuss beak with you tonight!