Sketchbook: Painting of a Robin Redbreast

I used to love seeing the fat little robin redbreasts in England. When I was growing up it was considered good luck to see a Robin at the first of the season.
Do you know HOW they got such bright red chests?

According to an Old English folk tale "when Jesus was dying on the cross, the Robin, then simply brown in colour, flew to his side and sang into his ear in order to comfort him in pain. The blood from his wounds stained the Robin's breast, and thereafter all Robins got the mark of Christ's blood upon them." source wikipedia

More Trivia
You can see some wonderful photographs of the Robin, which is the British National Bird, on the bbc website-Science & Nature.

Jafabrit Visits
Casey- Check out "winter" and the lush colours
Laketrees is a new one-love her black and white portrait paintings
Cynthia-confronting Change
Bad Kitty- the name alone is cool :)-is facing the challenge of landscapes (I sympathize)
Failed Painter- whose dragon tale coils around the tongue delightfully
Lincoln's Bird Blog in which he, coincidentally, has a current entry about the American Robin.

Comments

Casey Klahn said…
Thanks, dearie. I saw a robin the other day and wondered what he thought of the rough weather. Very good painting/sketch. Love the red treatment.
jafabrit said…
thanks casey, I had fun doing this, totally uninhibited. casey that is a good sign :)
jafabrit said…
Yes, the red is YUMMY, Considering how rich your reds are I can see why you like it.
Steppen Wolf said…
Great painting. Liked this one. Loks even better when you click on the image and blow it up. The whites in the eyes...
Oh, i love robins. He's so cute!!
Kim said…
lovely loose style Jafabrit...looks great in the zoom....
liberating !!
love the twinkle in the eye....

the background on the robin's breast ...very touching

and thanks for the mention :)

ps...I'm addicted to licorice too!! (Aussie Daryl LEA only)...and I didn't know that you could eat too much...eek
Anonymous said…
I enjoyed reading your post today. I wasn't able to get here yesterday.

I never heard the story about how the robin got its red breast. So that was news and interesting to me.

Our robins, as you know, are quite different in appearance from those in England.

My mother would never let me hurt a robin but she didn't have any sympathy for any other bird.
Janets Planet said…
Never thought of robins as being pudgy. But I like your take on one.
Jafagirls said…
Jan, if you check the bbc link there are some pictures of the European Robin and some are really quite pudgy LOL! Totally unlike the American Robins. I miss seeing the pudgy little brit robins, they were just adorable.
Margot Potter said…
I love this painting and that song is divine!

Everytime I come here, I smile.

xoxo
Madge
Lynette said…
What a great sketchbook entry and your little robin redbreast is so delightful!! We get lots of robins in the springtime hopping around on the ground.
Andrea and Kim said…
Jafabrit, I love this little robin. You have clearly captured the robins of your England and not the robins of your current home. I think the English robins are so much fun to watch, too. Also, a lot of our English friends send Christmas cards with robins, and they are also so available as holiday decorations. Gosh, I will miss England for Christmas so much this year. Not only a great sketchbook entry for you, but also a great memory for me. Thank you.

PS good luck with the statement
jafabrit said…
Thankyou Kim, I miss seeing all the Christmas cards with the robin on them also :)

It's a funny little song isn't it margot lol! Sort of represents my love of cheesy kitsch. I adore 50's Christmas ornaments, and bing crosby Christmas music.

Glad you liked Lyn :)
vivien said…
he's really lively and cute :)
- prints of him would make great Christmas cards

and English robins are definitely little round pudgy birds :D
Cynthia said…
I didn't know that bit of trivia about the Robin!

I do so love your sketch book drawings and little peaks you give us now and again.

Thanks for the linky and I am enamored of your effigy doll (and the thoughts behind it) in the post above.

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