Thirsty Gull

One sunny Sunday morning I felt an urge to sit in the bay window and do a painting. I'd recently painted a gull holding a sausage and thought I'd do another one. I drew one out drinking some water for a plastic tub (from a photo I'd saved on my hard drive - probably stolen it as I cannot recall taking it.) Here it is on a piece of wood I'd bought to block up a smashed window.

The gull - painted firstly in acrylic paint - dried quickly so I took it up into my bedroom to put on a documentary and paint in oils. I got to work on the gull itself. I thought those legs and feet would be difficult but the body of the gull was the trickiest bit. People tend to look unfavourably on gulls but I like them (and look unfavourably on some human beings.) They tough and have become experts at stealing and making use of opportunities to feed. When required they employ teamwork to harass enemies. The mate for life but if they can't produce healthy chicks they get a 'divorce'. Due to their webbed feet they don't land on branches. If you see them circling they've probably spotted some airborne insects and are about to eat them. They cry for attention. Young gulls aren't seen as they're not allowed out of the nest till they can fend for themselves. They dance on grass to trick worms into thinking it's raining and rise to the surface.

Soon I dotted in the gull's eye and there was little else to do. Perhaps I should have added a shadow but LS Lowry didn't use shadows so I didn't bother. Once I saw a gull swoop down to pick up a sandwich a schoolboy had dropped. As it ascended it smashed into the windscreen of a wagon and died instantly. Still warm I picked it up and put it under a bush. Fifteen minutes later while eating breakfast I decided to retrieve it to put it out at dark for the foxes but it had gone - in about 15 minutes. I wonder if this gull in this painting is still alive. They live about twenty years.

Anyway, here is the painting which will go into the attic and probably not be seen again until my end (it'll be burnt as I will be.)