Searching for good squeeze bottles for the paint, we found botttles that came with free drinks!
(Ecuador)
The last few days were busy ones as Barb and I worked on several projects. Barbara is a spark plug of energy, and I dubbed her Hummingbird years ago! She zips back and forth, requires many little feedings, recharges her batteries and continues to flit from task to task! Although she might crash late at night, she’s cheerfully awake at dawn and resumes her high-energy embrace of each day!
Guess what we’ve been painting?
While working on the bodega floor, I suggested that we halt work and switch to a painting for her home in the Republic of Panama. No subject could trump the hummingbird theme, so after looking at many images, we combined several to create a hybrid hummingbird!
Look! There’s a huge hummingbird checking out the Playamart treasures!
z
The main image was painted first; we then photographed it and switched to the computer.
A quick ‘mola’ design was added to the jpg image via computer graphics.
We added dark green and light green colors to the canvas.
Taking a ‘back break’ from back-breaking work! (Even the camera was tired!)
Details, details, details!
Barbara brushes white over white!
Barbara and Lisa critique hummingbird (Photo by Xavier Cevallos)
I always forget how much taller I am than Barb until someone takes our photo! (Thanks, Xavier, for the photo!)
We only created one modest little bench with the supply of driftwood, but we think that the hummingbird painting trumps the driftwood. What do you think?
Tah-Dah! “A Hummingbird for a Hummingbird”
Here’s a postscript video that might make you smile!
Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat.Com™ and commented:
I love artist and their talent. Thank you Ms. Zee for sharing this.
thank YOU as well! have a great weekend! ms zee
♥ ❀ ✿ Namaste ❀ ✿ ♥
Just beautiful. I am a bird-lover and we have hummingbirds in our garden (Streamertails). Our national bird in Jamaica!
yes, we are so lucky to have the hummingbirds – unlike our european friends who rely on photos that show ‘pica flors/colibris’
Loving this! But, where is the picture of your driftwood bench? Did I miss it? I really like the way you use the computer to make a pattern for the painting. Do you use computer graphics a lot?
hey! thanks for the comment, and yes, i’ll try to photograph the bench soon!
i sometimes use ‘irfanview’ for photos and use the paint feature from time to time. it’s great for ‘pouring’ paint into the different areas to compare one color vs another. that sometimes helps someone decide which colors they want in the painting. (or which colors they don’t want!)
Is this the Les Paul of the world famous Gibson Les Paul guitar? ~James
sorry i’m so late getting to this comment. it’s too bad that the wee hours of the morning are the only hours for the internet to work well!
i THINK that’s the same.. i’ll see what i can find out!!!!
z
What a lovely and very privileged lady she is. You’ll miss her when she goes!
yes, barb is a very unique hybrid hummingbird herself! she’s been a perfect houseguest! z
Beautiful, and I just love to watch the process.
thank you! we’ve marveled at how fast the painting process has gone! barb’s pleased with her new painting! z
What a lovely and appropriate gift for your friend!
hey ruth! thanks so much, and thanks for the request to see what we were painting!
finding decent art materials is difficult here, and the high humidity often rots cotton canvas; i recently tried working with ‘vinyl’ made for upholstering furniture/car interiors.. turn the good side face down, roll paint over the ‘canvas’ backing, and – wow – what a great material! i did two tests on the bodega floor, because houses at sea level often have trouble with moisture rising through the concrete. i’m trying to find a solution that stops the water and protects the art, hence the vinyl. the newly-painted floor has three tests to check over the years to come. more on that in a future post! z
I am continually amazed at your creativity. Not only do you create beautiful work, but you have to innovate with materials that are available!
thanks ruth! yes, we make the best of what can be found. you’d be doing the same things!
Love it Z!
You are very good! 🙂 As always! 🙂
LOVE the hummingbird – the bird, the painting, the song and BARB, aka Hummingbird. Fits her perfectly!!!!
hey judy!
thanks so much, and yes, she is such a hummingbird! we’ve had a great visit, and barb will be so happy to see your comment!!
thanks!
lisa/z
Love it !! But I too would like to see a pic of the bench..hehe Barb after you get back home you’ll have to post a picture of your painting in your home,,por favor 🙂
hey!
yes, i’ll post photos of the bench, but so far have not stopped to take any! tonight we’re staying at ciragan hostal in jama so that we can get on the gye-bound bus at 5 in the manana. we’re due to reach gye at 1 in the afternoon.
hope it’s a good weekend for you!
z
Lovely hummer!
thank you! i think of you often when i admire hummingbirds; i remember that video that you posted of the hummingbirds at your feeder!
z
New video to come! After all it is a new season!
What fun to create with a good friend and specially to be so in sync… And a beautiful memento of these times together… Viva la amistad, viva la creatividad! Read you soon, Alexandra
thank you so much! yes, there’s a bit of magic at work when more than one person works on a painting! there’s a calming energy that settles over the room, and time goes by really fast – as if waking from a nap!
we’re leaving before sunrise in the morning, so i’d best get some sleep!
zzzzzz
So beautiful. Computer? I never realized you used that. I must have missed something. (Is that possible? I thought I was being pretty thorough – ugh!)
hey
no, i don’t use a computer often for art; i have never used photoshop but use the paint option from Irfanview. i can photograph my paintings then ‘crudely’ draw the mola effect to show a ‘client’ how the finished painting will look… or we will toss around color options.. then i return to the original painting and proceed. we photographed the painting after the green was added and ecperimented* with options for those central ‘triangles’ and decided on blue. yellow was one option, and brown was another.
*perdon, there is one key on this mini laptop that is not working, and it’s the letter that falls between w and y!
z
Lovely hummingbird. Love your tired camera! Safe travels home to the Hummingbird and her hummingbird painting. We are going to miss her.
thank you so much! yes, barb’s energy will be missed, but i have plenty of photos to process and have lots of future posts that will cover more of the things that we did while she was here!
z
Oh the hummingbird is fantastic – beautiful design and colors, will make a wonderful painting for your home Barb. Sounds like after what, three weeks, you two are finally a little tired! Can’t wait to see the final floor and finished gallery – have a great weekend.
thanks, amiga!
yes, we had a great finale today when we visited a nearby hostal/restaurant that has lovely gardens/grounds and restaurant with a dramatic view of the ocean. sunset there was a great way to end the three week visit. barb crashed early, as we’ll be leaving on the 5 a.m bus. i’m going to answer a few more comments and get some sleep as well.
hope your weekend is a great one as well!
Perfect creation for the “hummingbird gal.” I expect to see the driftwood bench next…in your spare time. 🙂
yes, the bench is simple yet unique. barb spotted the ‘find’ at playamart, and i agreed – it’s perfect for a simple, artistic bench!
such a wonderful hummingbird. I´m so jealous to see you taking nap in that floor! 🙂 I miss hang out sharing with you two!!! I hope see you soon and I don´t know when Barb will leave but I would like to tell her Good bye personally!!! have a good weekend
hey amiga
i suspect that you’ll be snoozing when we march over to the coactur corner before sunrise! we came to town late this afternoon but jumped on the first northbound bus then back off again at punta prieta for a finale to barb’s visit. alonzo drove us back, and barb was so tired that she crashed quite early!
she really enjoyed spending time with you; your spirit will travel with us to gye!
thanks so much! i’ll see you when i come back on sunday or monday.
lisa/z
What a fantastic time you have had with your aptly named hummingbird and what a beautiful picture for Barb to take home. I have loved joining you via cyberspace and watching all the hard work you have both put into your art work. I hope you have a lovely relaxing weekend. Cheers till next week.
Les Paul that takes me back, he was the start of multi recoding, the one that starter my love affair of the guitar. I thought I was going back with Helen Reddy in my post. Thanks for the painting I can see you both had fun doing it.
thanks, jack! we were searching for an appropriate song for that post, and we both instantly agreed on that one!
will we get to hear any of your guitar? that would be quite a treat!
z
Sorry, I fell in love with the guitar but it did not respond well to my caresses.
Lovely! (You are going to miss her when she leaves!)
A beautiful hummingbird for a very special friend! 🙂
thank you so much! yes, she seemed quite happy to have her very own special hummingbird! z
LOVE the hummingbird! What a lovely thoughtful gift for the lovely Barb 🙂
It is gorgeous! Maybe on my next visit to Panama I get to meet Barb (or you, if you are around) and her art 🙂
Take care!
Hey Lisa…..I decided to walk down memory lane today….and came across this post of yours…..I still just love it….and all the comments about you and little ole me too….by the way…did you ever post that picture of the “Hummingbird” hanging on my wall? I had forgotten about it till I re=read the comment that John and Mary left about wanting to see the hummingbird after I hung it on my wall….or maybe you never got that picture?
What FUN we had!! Can’t believe how time fly’s ….we will have to do this again…can’t wait to see what YOU come up with next!! Love ya Zeebra!! Hugs from “The Hummingbird”
buenos dias, amiga
i do not think i saw the photo of the hummingbird in its natural home. please please send it, and i’ll share with WP – hey, and everyone can follow a link to your website!
thanks, amiga!