Turnstone drawing progress

Since my last blog post ive been rather busy with preparations for forthcoming shows and so havnt progressed with this one as much as i would have liked.Today however has been a good day in the studio,one of those all too rare days with little in the way of interruption allowing me to really get stuck into the drawing without all the fits and starts of everyday life intruding.I have managed to complete the stretch of water above the old anchor chain and added some pebbles protruding from the surface.The chain itself is one of those gloriously textured objects that are simply made for graphite and ive absolutely loved depicting the chain with lots of lovely darks in there to really give a sense of solidity.the chain was worked up in the usual manner starting with successive layers of H,HB,B,and 2B with the details roughly worked in with 2 and 3B pencils.ive now moved onto the first turnstone clambering across the chain and plotted in the feathers on the wing and completed the head and nape of the bird.I originally saw these birds at the end of the winter and these two were part of a larger group foraging around the waters edge in Hillhead harbour here on the south coast of hampshire,uk.They are depicted in they're winter plumage which isnt quite so grand as theyre summer colours but nonetheless beautifully subtle.