Catching Up 2: Long Tailed Tits

I have been wanting to include long tailed tits in an engraving for a long time. I see them in small groups when I take my daily walks and they are also frequent visitors to the bird feeders in the garden; here are a couple sharing their meal with a starling:

However, I wanted to show them as I see them in the hawthorn hedges, with Ely cathedral glimpsed in the background. I spent some time making sketchbook drawings and then trying to find a combination that worked as the image I had in my mind:

Having established the composition, I transferred my drawing into reverse onto a darkened boxwood block and started to engrave:

Here is the final engraving:

The image measures 70 x 65mm and has been printed onto Zerkall paper in an edition of 100.

 For a limited period, I am selling these at a reduced price in my Etsy store. Here is the link:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92278861/long-tailed-tits