I Can See Clearly now...Better in Black and White!

I usually start the process of carving each bird by studying color photos and making notes of the unique characteristics of the specific specie that I am going to attempt.  Over the years I found that I missed certain of these unique features and discovered them too late at the later stages of carving, or texturing or worst of all painting.

Last year, with the Gadwalls, I got some input from a close friend who suggested that I model the poses and birds in clay as a second step so that I could pick up those nuances that I might have missed through the observation of photos.  When I attempted this, I had an epiphany of sorts, and learned that if I converted the color photos to black and white, I could "see" the physical characteristics and unique features more readily.  However, I had to learn yet another skill, clay modeling, in addition to trying to stay on top of my game on the host of other skills required for this craft. As a result the process of modeling 2 birds took the better part of 6 weeks.  I did learn a lot from this and as a result the anatomy of the pair was the best yet thanks to two former world champions who looked at and critiqued photos of the clay models. But I didn't develop any muscle memory/approaches for when I took the carving to wood and it didn't leave me with anything to practice painting.

This year, I decided to use what I learned to change the carving process yet again.  I decided that I would;

1. convert relevant photos to black and white (NEW)
2. make a list of photo observations
3. draw multiple images of the bird in various poses forcing me to study the details and nuances (NEW)
4. adjust my observation notes
5.  chose the pose and make a pattern for the bird from the most appealing drawing (NEW)
6.  instead of a clay model, carve a quick, smoothie, simple wooden gunner style model (that will never compete) in the desired pose, knowing that I can patch it up with "bondo" in areas that I removed too much wood (NEW)  This will help develop muscle memory and will generate a painting practice blank,
7. refine observations of characteristics and modify the pattern
8.  begin the final bird.

Here are a few of the photos that I worked from.