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Frances Bird talks on Breakfast about sexuality education

Frances Bird, Family Planning Health Promotion Director talks with Petra Bagust on the Breakfast show on Tuesday 30 August 2011 about the challenges ...

Frances Bird talking on Good Morning about sexuality education (Part 1)

Family Planning Director of Health Promotion, Frances Bird, was a visitor on the Good Morning show on TVNZ on Wednesday 7 September 2011 as part of a ...

Francis HATES Angry Birds Go

THOSE MONEY GRUBBING ASSHOLES. 49.99 FOR A SINGLE FUCKING CAR? DOCUHEBAGS.

User Comments

jayjay86443 commented on 24 Jan 2016

...AND THEN MAH BIRD RAN OUTTA EEEHNERGYYYYY~!

MFT SH00Tthis commented on 12 Feb 2016

XD hhahahaahaha

Snowdodger1 commented on 21 Jan 2016

U know, there's a thing called earning. Your a funny guy and all but... Yeah

Rainbow7DASH100 commented on 24 Jan 2016

Yeah but $49.99 for a fucking car that u still need to upgrade! I'd rather spend my earned money on food clothes a video game, something better than a digital crap car

GBossFilms commented on 18 Nov 2015

Francis asked if you had a cell phone

The gaming Cat commented on 22 Dec 2015

You used to call me on my cell- BANG

RetroPirate91 commented on 11 Nov 2015

You go fuck yourself

Thick Skull Movies commented on 22 Jan 2016

It's an act.

Jonney Cage commented on 06 Nov 2015

Well don't buy the car stupid

wafflesaurus commented on 08 Jan 2016

+Jonney Cage retard alert class

Jonney Cage commented on 07 Jan 2016

Fuck u

wafflesaurus commented on 06 Jan 2016

uh oh retard alert

harboyz123 commented on 20 Dec 2015

+Jonney Cage young* retard

Jonney Cage commented on 06 Nov 2015

I know I was Yong when I made my gmail I was like 10/or 8

Deep South commented on 06 Nov 2015

You spelt Johnny wrong.

Bird Paintings by Frances McMahon (video 2)

Here's a couple of more recent watercolour paintings. As the title suggests, I really enjoy adding touches of red to paintings. It's a lovely contrast to the ...

User Comments

starthi commented on 28 Jan 2011

@GlitteringGirl65 botanic garden u mention, u mean the on in LA ? near torrance?. can you plz do a tutorial on how you paint. i saw your other comment respond, it can be very time consuming. So maybe you can focus on little things, like teach ous how to paint a one Feather, a leaf, a flower, the tree limb. i honestly think every one here will appreciate tht. you are probably the BEST bird drawer on the youtube.!!! plz consider my what i said. thanks!

Frances McMahon commented on 19 Nov 2010

@starthi That's very kind of you to say....thank you! Although I do paint just for fun, I take on the occasional commission. I'm currently working on illustrating every species of bird found in the botanic gardens! It will be printed on a brochure for all the visitors coming there. No, I don't do speed paintings, although sometimes I wish I was a bit faster...I'd probably have lots more paintings to show if I were!

Frances McMahon commented on 28 Jan 2011

@starthi LA's about as far away as possible...lol! The botanic gardens commission is for the gardens here in Canberra, Australia! I'll certainly consider a "how to" tutorial, but I'd have to get a very close-up lens so show how it's done, and at the moment I'm really strapped for time, but maybe in a year or two...? So glad you like my work!

Frances McMahon commented on 07 Oct 2008

Thanks! Keep at the art lessons, you'll learn lots to keep you inspired. Don't give up. Like all worthwhile things in life, you have to work at it for as long as it takes to get the results you want, but it's the journey that makes success all the sweeter. Don't forget to post up your latest artworks on youtube! Best of luck with it all!

starthi commented on 18 Nov 2010

u r the best i hav seen!!! plz upload more vids! do u do anything with ur talent? (other then drawing for fun?) and make a Speed painting. i almost dont belive u painted this! good job mate!

Frances McMahon commented on 17 Jun 2008

Thanks so much, 1950nov! I get a lot of pleasure out of painting, but far greater pleasure when my art pleases others.

EA1088 commented on 23 Aug 2010

I really enjoy your work on Rosellas. They really are phenomenal. The finches are lovely as well.

fatsack97 commented on 07 Oct 2008

omg!!!!!!!!!this is so alsome i take art lessons,ur are the best i've ever seen!

Joe Mama commented on 14 Sep 2009

very pretty...u are very talented

Patricia Lin commented on 30 Jul 2009

thats incridible and amazing!

Beata Gug commented on 09 Jan 2010

Wonderful !!!

Bird Paintings by Frances McMahon : NEW!

Taking some two years (2009-2011) and 560 hours to complete, this commission is finally done! All these illustrations are part of a brochure produced by the ...

User Comments

Frances McMahon commented on 14 Nov 2011

@DiamondApple100 Thanks for the compliment! It's done with a tiny paintbrush, bucketloads of patience and years of practice! Three of the five panels were done with the naked eye, then I discovered the benefits of reading glasses. Makes the close-up work so much easier! :)

nuvi01 commented on 11 Nov 2011

Beautiful. you are very talented.

Jdoodleme commented on 13 Nov 2011

SPECTACULAR! how do you do it! :)

Evelynngce88 commented on 25 May 2013

Wonderful!

Bird Paintings by Frances McMahon (video 1)

Here's a few of my watercolour bird illustrations painted between 2000-2002. Each painting takes between 30 and 165 hours to complete, and some details are ...

User Comments

Frances McMahon commented on 19 Nov 2010

@freeartlessonslive Thanks so much for the lovely compliment! Because the work is so incredibly time-consuming, a tutorial would be very boring to watch, and I'd need an extreme close-up lens to show how it's done. The technique is actually pretty simple....I start with a pale wash of the desired colour, then, using a very fine brush, paint hairline strokes over the wash with a darker shade. Keep building layer over layer this way, until the form starts to take shape. Best of luck with it all...

Raymond Gao commented on 06 Apr 2009

I had tried to reach you three times but all e-mails were not go-through. I had some designs of trays and scarves at web site used my own images from Gao Gao Gallery. I hope to get a permission to incorporate one of your birds image in to create a new design for either scarf or tray. And we can discuss how to share royalty with you, if the new image can be commercialized. Please give me a reply even if that is a negative response. Your arts are highly admired by me. Best regards. Johnson Gao

Frances McMahon commented on 18 Jul 2011

@MrWatercolorguy So glad you like it. Many thanks! I only use quin. red as my blue-based red. Cadmium Red and Yellow are keepers, too! I find Cerulean Blue a bit "wimpy", so I use Pthalo Blue instead. And replace muddy Yellow Ochre with Raw Sienna! The key to getting intense colour is to multi-layer the paint. It can take quite a few layers (up to 10!), but you'll get more depth. Sometimes I use a touch of gouache, but it needs to be diluted before use, otherwise it goes opaque. Good luck!

Frances McMahon commented on 23 Jan 2011

@Candeekissez Thanks for the lovely comments! The birds are masked out before airbrushing. Watercolour is transparent, so it would be nearly impossible to paint over any acrylic, as it depends on using the white of the paper. Hey, don't get discouraged. I've been painting for some 40 years, so I've had plenty of time to practice (and make errors!). Keep at it. It will be worth it in the end. There are plenty of good teachers around who can give you great ideas and pointers. Best of luck!

Candeekissez commented on 21 Jan 2011

You mention you first put down an acrylic background by airbrushing. Do you mask out the places where the birds and trees and other foreground watercolor will go or do you just paint right over the acrylic with the watercolor? Your colors are amazing, I envy your talent. I have been painting for several years but want to be as good as you whenever I do something and when the painting looks amaturish, I get discouraged and stop painting? Any tips? Thank you for sharing your amazing work.

Frances McMahon commented on 18 Jan 2011

@TheDecoyDude Thanks for the lovely compliment. Yes, these paintings are done in watercolour. The backgrounds are airbrushed in liquid acrylic. I find the acrylic is "tougher" than watercolour, and is waterproof! I only use Winsor and Newton Series 7 Brushes, and I prefer the W and N half pan size watercolour. I only use artist quality paints, and ensure they are rated I or II in lightfastness. It would be a disaster to spend 150 hours on a painting, only to have it fade in a few years!

Thundy commented on 26 Oct 2013

You are unbelievable, Frances! I mean Literally not Figuratively. I got your video on my Facebook wall. I will never forget such a brilliant artist! I paint myself (amateur format) and work on a hand made animation presently, and even THAT experience didn't help me much in distinguishing your images from photos! I will definitely check out your website and you are etched in stone within my gray cells as one true talent from now on. All the best!

Frances McMahon commented on 08 Feb 2009

Thanks for the compliment, hyperactiveGBU15! As a child, I would just copy off other artists' work and photos out of books. A great way to learn, but once you start selling works, you must be aware of copyright laws, so I use my own photos as reference, while some of the grasses/rocks/leaves are painted from life. It feels much better creating a painting from your own references, as it is yours and yours alone, and you hold copyright over it!

Frances McMahon commented on 26 Oct 2013

Hi Thundy, I'm delighted you think these are photos! The only "photoshopping" I do is use the "sharpen" filter..lol. I've been painting since age 5, so I have had a lot of time to practice! If you'd like to see more, I have a website. It's in my channel info. As for the 8 dislikes, well....YouTube is a democracy, and not everyone is as nutty about birds as I am, so that doesn't bother me. Have a lovely day! :)

Frances McMahon commented on 28 May 2011

Thanks for the lovely compliment! Having a top quality airbrush makes getting the out-of-focus backgrounds much easier. And I bet your artworks aren't "amateur" at all! I read in a very good book that it's difficult to determine the value of our own works, and whether they are "good" or not. Best to let others determine that.... Keep up the painting. It takes lots of practice, but stick at it. Good luck :)

Startwister commented on 28 May 2011

@GlitteringGirl65 Of course you´re right, the artist himself is the worst jugde about his or her own work. But in comparence to yours, mine is really crude. I never have the patience to put so much details in my paintings. In the first video, I made for YT (doesn´t exist anymore), the painting was finished in 9 and a half minutes That´s still a record. I don´t put too much time and effort in my stuff.

Frances McMahon commented on 21 Apr 2010

@Konotori7 Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback! I'm extremely flattered. As an Aussie artist, it's unlikely I'll be contacted by the Audobon Society, but I'm really too busy to join any groups these days. Currently working on a commission for the Botanic Gardens, painting every species found there! And, yes, it is being completed one feather at a time, while listeneing to Vivaldi!

Frances McMahon commented on 29 Sep 2008

So glad you like the paintings! I paint on 1680gsm conservation board. It's made by Canson, and is the most archival material I can find. It's the same material they use as matting when framing old/valuable artworks for museums. I've sold a few paintings to clients in the USA, on a commissioned basis. Seems folks overseas love our gorgeous native birds! :)

Frances McMahon commented on 23 Jun 2009

Thanks so much, bublmidget! Finches do make lovely pets, but species like the gouldian finch (as I've painted) can be a bit delicate. They like warm and temperate conditions, and live food, which means harvesting maggots and worms for them to eat....yuck! Zebra finches are easy to keep though. I like their personalities more than budgies.

Jack Black commented on 11 Jan 2009

Your talent is "Museum" quality. I have done water colors on and off, for about 25 years. I love detail, but the key is to NOT make the painting look like a muddy rendering. Many water color artists have works best viewed from 10 feet away. Have you painted old sailing (out riggers) ships? Now that is "detail" .

Frances McMahon commented on 23 Sep 2011

@nuvi01 So glad you like it! Thanks! No, I don't teach...not enough hours in the day. If I did teach, there would be no time for doing my own painting. The background music is from YouTube's "stock" music that's copyright free. It's from Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" , but I don't know which season it is!

Frances McMahon commented on 31 Oct 2008

So glad you like my work! Makes all the long hours worth it! After masking the birds, I always airbrush the background first. This way, if I make an error with the background, I haven't lost hours and hours of work. I can simply lift off the mask, place it on another piece of board, and start again.

Frances McMahon commented on 14 Sep 2010

@labellavitakurz So glad you like my work! The background music is from Vivaldi's "Four Seasons". I originally used another Vivaldi piece, but YouTube sent me a message saying it was infringing copyright, so I used one of YouTube's copyright free music choices. Luckily Vivaldi was among those! :)

Thundy commented on 20 Oct 2013

You GOTTA BE KIDDING ME! I thought THESE were photoshopped PHOTOS! This is just an impossible quality if these are really paintings! I still refuse to believe...Shaking my head here...Lady, you are UNBELIEVABLE!!! P.S. (tell me you just bought those 8 dislikes for the video, hmm...

PARADISEDOVE commented on 10 Jun 2008

Very extraordinary blessed talent artist! I believe your art in Eph. 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. I enjoy it so much & love arts. Keep your art alive! =D

nuvi01 commented on 16 Sep 2011

This is beautiful.You are very talented.Do you teach? I also love the music can you please tel us who's music is this who is the composer ( I know it but don't know by whom ) and who is it preformed by I love it. Thank you for sharing..

Frances McMahon commented on 09 Jun 2009

Hi Alexis! I didn't know you were on YouTube! Thanks so much for the compliment! If only I found skating as easy as painting...lol! Not interested in "fame", though - just enjoying creating paintings for others to enjoy.....

Bird Paintings by Frances McMahon (video 3)

Three paintings exploring the textures of wood and water. Sometimes it's important to step outside your comfort zone, and paint something you've never done ...

User Comments

Frances McMahon commented on 31 Oct 2008

Thanks so much, dc9761! Yes, I always paint on white. Watercolour is a lovely translucent medium, and if I painted on tinted board, the colours wouldn't be as clear. Also, you traditionally use the white of the board as your "white". If there is no white, you'd have to use an opaque gouache, which would change the character of the work. (Mind you, I do use white gouache in tiny amounts for details such as the highlight in the bird's eye...sssssh!)

Frances McMahon commented on 14 Sep 2009

Glad you like my art, bigleroygym! I've always had a real love of detail, and want the viewer to see how much I love birds, and what amazing creatures they are. I've loved birds from the age of 5, and started painting/drawing at that time. I still have some texta drawings (of primary school art) that my mother kept for me...lol!

Frances McMahon commented on 10 Jun 2013

Hi latatistarflores, No, I don't teach. Simply not enough hours in the day, what with family commitments, work, and completing my own artwork, which is incredibly time-consuming! Maybe one day, when I have retired from work I may just take on one or two students...who knows? ;)

steriod01 commented on 09 Jul 2011

Some of the best I've seen! I love all the details you put into your work. I do watercolor of birds as well......Now I see I have a very long way to go, as you have shown me the possibilities.

Joe Mama commented on 14 Sep 2009

wow..u really painted this stuff? You must be a serious painter, because these look almost like photos, except they are art..your artwork is very precise...how long have u been doing this?