# Great Grey Heron (Oil) **URL:** \ **Category:** Share Your Art\ **Created:** [July 29, 2020, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001 "2020-07-29T19:10:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jodygoldman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/jodygoldman/32/797_2.png) [@jodygoldman](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/jodygoldman)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2020, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/1 "2020-07-29T19:10:25Z")
![grey heron on wood](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thevirtualinstructor/original/1X/f17fdae624684389387eba99bdca3f2ded68f26d.jpeg) First time I have ever painted on wood. My neighbor recently installed tongue and groove wood boards on her wall and saved two pieces (each 6" x 14") which are connected on the back with a cross piece. She had commissioned me to create a Florida painting to coordinate with her decor. I was quite surprised how easy it was to paint on wood. Two issues to address : 1) the porous surface of the wood (that ate paint); and 2) the groves on the surface of the wood that sometimes made a straight line difficult to create. Overall, I like the affect. ---
**Author:** ![Denise](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/denise/32/40_2.png) [@Denise](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Denise)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2020, 9:52pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/2 "2020-07-29T21:52:31Z")
Wow, this is fantastic! I love it! ---
**Author:** ![tgp](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/tgp/32/701_2.png) [@tgp](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/tgp)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/3 "2020-07-30T15:07:31Z")
Jody, you have an extraordinary talent with birds. Now I’m curious. is this because you’ve spent so much time drawing/painting them? or do you simply find them more inspiring?? at any rate; your Now like Semi-pro, yes? is this your first commission? curious ---
**Author:** ![jodygoldman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/jodygoldman/32/797_2.png) [@jodygoldman](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/jodygoldman)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/4 "2020-07-30T18:05:54Z")
Jason, Thank you for such a **generous compliment**. I started painting about 50 years ago in Miami with a teacher Mrs. Virginia Lovell. But having a family, airline career and lots of travel I put my art on “hold”. However I have always been more interested in painting animals (and birds) than anything else. So during this period of house arrest I have started painting again. Florida has a big share of exotic birds and I have a neighbor who is a wildlife photographer. Aren’t I lucky? She provides 75% of the bird subjects which explains why so many of the recent pictures are of birds. Thank you again for such nice comments. You made my day! ---
**Author:** ![Sylvia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Sylvia](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Sylvia)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 3:03pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/5 "2020-07-31T15:03:48Z")
You did a great job! Thank you for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![kmark1207](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/50afbb/32.png) [@kmark1207](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/kmark1207)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/6 "2020-07-31T18:24:58Z")
Beautiful! I love how the Great Grey heron looks on this wood. It is just amazing. ---
**Author:** ![laura166](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@laura166](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/laura166)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 12:49am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/7 "2020-08-26T00:49:52Z")
I love your painting and its appeal on the wooden surface. I laughed at your ‘house arrest’ comment. I, too, love to draw and paint so I started painting weeds. I knew I didn’t have to venture from my own back yard to find plenty and would be ‘low risk’ for catching the COVID! I painted about 20 images then signed up for a botanical drawing class which turned out to be a disaster. I haven’t done a single assignment here yet, but will work on the colored pencil peppers tomorrow. So far (having watched 3 videos) I’ve learned way more than the other (and far more expensive) class offered. Anyway, your work is beautiful. It made my eyes happy! ---
**Author:** ![jodygoldman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/jodygoldman/32/797_2.png) [@jodygoldman](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/jodygoldman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/8 "2020-08-26T20:32:22Z")
Thank you for your reply. I too have benefited greatly from these lessons and tips on improving the mediums. I will be looking forward to seeing some of your work. ---
**Author:** ![chrismalone](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/chrismalone/32/726_2.png) [@chrismalone](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/chrismalone)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2020, 7:10am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/9 "2020-08-27T07:10:03Z")
Really love this! And it looks so good on the boards. Did you use gesso under it or something else or is it raw wood? ---
**Author:** ![jodygoldman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/jodygoldman/32/797_2.png) [@jodygoldman](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/jodygoldman)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/10 "2020-08-27T12:14:18Z")
Thank you for your compliment. This is painted directly on the wood. I didn’t want to add any product that might alter the appearance of the wood grain. First time but I think I’ll do it again ---
**Author:** ![Cojax73](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/cojax73/32/589_2.png) [@Cojax73](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Cojax73)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 1:19am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/11 "2020-08-28T01:19:31Z")
How did you prep your surface, Jody? It’s such a wonderful piece. Great detail! Jack ---
**Author:** ![jodygoldman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/jodygoldman/32/797_2.png) [@jodygoldman](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/jodygoldman)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 11:52am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/12 "2020-08-28T11:52:43Z")
No prep, just painted directly on the wood. ---
**Author:** ![Logan787](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/logan787/32/46_2.png) [@Logan787](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/Logan787)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 1:02pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/13 "2020-09-06T13:02:30Z")
Great job! Drawing birds is so much fun. ---
**Author:** ![AZHolland](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/azholland/32/957_2.png) [@AZHolland](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/AZHolland)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/14 "2020-09-10T20:10:06Z")
So original! I love it ---
**Author:** ![dorothy.anne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dorothy.anne](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/dorothy.anne)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 12:47am UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/15 "2021-05-27T00:47:14Z")
So beautiful and the wood just adds to the character and texture, great job! ---
**Author:** ![PatsyUSA](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/patsyusa/32/1357_2.png) [@PatsyUSA](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/PatsyUSA)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/16 "2021-05-27T19:43:48Z")
Beautiful work. Looks like you solved every challenge. I grew up in Miami. There is definitely a wonderful variety of bird life there. Endless inspiration. ---
**Author:** ![jodygoldman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.thevirtualinstructor.com/jodygoldman/32/797_2.png) [@jodygoldman](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/jodygoldman)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/17 "2021-05-27T21:25:31Z")
Thank you for the nice comments. I lived in Miami from 1968 to 1990 in the Pinecrest area. I always love Miami but it’s changed so much I don’t think I’d want to live there again. Good luck with your artwork I hope you share it with us. ---
**Author:** ![ArtistLittleNora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9c0ed/32.png) [@ArtistLittleNora](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/u/ArtistLittleNora)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 8:03pm UTC](https://community.thevirtualinstructor.com/t/great-grey-heron-oil/1001/18 "2021-05-28T20:03:04Z")
I Love it! You are such an accomplished master of birds and all animals. Lenora