Tree of Life - experiment 1

There is an old gum tree in my neck of the woods, and if you visit at the right time of year it is a mecca for birds with nesting hollows all over it. In my mind, I've been making a picture of how I would show this tree and I wake up in the middle of the night tossing and turning as I try to visualise the end result. I wanted a soft, almost parchment feel to it with not much colour and the birds coming in and out, going about their business.

So this is my first experimental attempt. It is getting closer to what I wanted, but it may not appeal to anyone else. When I get the feel right, I will go back to the tree and take a series of photographs, waiting for the (hopefully) right combination of busy birds. I think I will try moving around to get the 'S' curve of the trunk in a better position, but this is step #1. Of course, if everyone hates it … back to the drawing board. It may be too dull for some.

It looks much better on a large screen to pick up the detail of all the birds, some of which may not be seen in the smaller view and I'm thinking that the final product would be nice printed on photo rag . The birds are sulphur crested cockatoos, galahs, wattle bird, green parrots - not sure the species and some sort of black birds, sadly I missed the ducks nesting time.

Hilary, I love the artistic expression in this image. The one bird at the top that is bright white grabs my eye. It does have a soft parchment feel to it. I love it!:S3:

I find this very appealing from a visual standpoint and, also, what you're portraying about the dependence of the birds on trees. I encourage you to keep this going. While I like seeing so much of the tree and its twisted branches, it would be nice to see the same artistic interpretation zoomed in to capture just a bird or two. Please continue to share your progress on this project.

Wonderful vision/project, Hilary. My first impression was of oriental silk tapestry/art. I hope you continue and share more images! :S3:

Thank you for your encouragement.

Denise, I hadn't noticed how bright that bird was so will do a little fine tuning.

Dennis, you have tuned into my thought processes!! :S3: in my final plan I hope to have vignettes of interesting parts of the tree and have started to photograph them but now that I am getting a feel for it, will need to return and do a better job of the initial capture.

Thanks Steve, oriental silk is perfect!

This will be a slow, year long project because I've missed the main nesting season so I can get the tail enders now but will hope to get the main activity next spring.

I agree, Hilary, nicely envisioned, processed, and really like the oriental silk feel and how the colors of the birds pop nicely from the soft tones of the tree. Think you're right about needing to see a larger size version to appreciate the details more. Other versions zoomed in would be nice too. I always like to simplify, however I was also just reading about how complexity in an image, can be very effective in keeping the viewer interested and the eye exploring. I think you have a very good start here, with pleasant soft tonal variation, and a natural rhythm to the curving lines and the positions of the birds. I think the right amount of birds and how they are positioned is key to get the right flow, and no doubt you'll find the right balance as you experiment.

You crack me up with your art insomnia, Hilary. I hope its more from excitement about possibilities than worry, and that you at least get some creative ideas in that state. This may not be necessary for someone as artistically mature as yourself, but to help solve creative problems, I have recently started going back and reviewing some art & composition theory. (Thanks to Dennis comments regarding composition theory) It helps to refresh my mind and spark ideas.

Brendan, thanks for your thoughtful reply. I agree that reviewing art and composition on a regular basis is necessary and fun. I have an active mind and sometimes really good ideas come from it, sometimes I just get a migraine! :w3

I agree with your summary of this image, thank you for the feedback. At least I now have a starting point.

Wonderful idea, Hilary! I love the old tapestry look to it. I might darken the tree a little bit more, but I really like the flow with the birds and all. I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do with this concept. :S3:

Hilary, I think this is a lovely concept and can hardly wait for the "evolution". It does look like an old silk or there were many old wallpapers that looked like this.:S3:

Beautiful idea and first try. I agree with all the comments above. Love the beautiful soft color, the look of silk, the gorgeous tree, the birds. An amazing tree! Fabulous concept. I think the tree is a bit too dark at the top, and that more birds are needed in the lower right corner. Looking forward to more!

Some great suggestions, thanks everyone. I think it'll be a balancing act to get the right number of birds doing interesting things. I can't wait to get started on the real images.

Hilary, this is a great project. It looks like a very delicate oriental tapestry. I really like the look of the faded tree and the subtle, but colorful additions of the birds. Look forward to seeing this as you progress. Actually there could be several "final" editions, each with a slightly different emphasis.

Nancy, I have thought of about 3 different full tree interpretations at this stage but hope to end up with 4 plus the close up details of parts of the tree and some nests. Unfortunately, I've developed the idea too late for the majority of this season's nesting time so I have a year before I can bring this to fruition. Hopefully it will be interesting enough to keep me engaged for that length of time!!! :S3:

In my mind, it would hopefully be exhibition material, but that will depend on the galleries, ultimately, and of course, how it looks when they are all printed.

I've never taken on such a long term project ... quite exciting.