David Mitchell Art

Scarlet elf cups appearing already .

Phlebia radiata . A3 watercolour finished today .

A mock - up of how a page from my book will look . It will be a field guide in all but name . I have decided that an ID guide was too tricky so it will be a celebration of fungi through paintings . What do you think ?

This is my Xmas card design for this year .

My 2 offerings for the Meffan Art Gallery winter show in Forfar . The first is made up of cup handles and the second is a clay bowl with bits of found ceramics stuck inside . Both feature on this page from a while back .

Found growing on one of my sheep skulls in the garden - Horn Stalkball .

The lovely artworked ceiling of Deacon Brodie`s pub in Edinburgh . Photo taken from a prone position on the pub floor !

Here`s one posted to me from deepest England , Panthercap . Deadly !!!

This is Fluted bird`s nest fungus . Smaller than a fingernail . It`s a "nest" with "eggs" . Fascinating !

Found a new fungus that looks like liquorice . Black bulgar .

A new , colourful one for the book .

Some of the fungi painted this Autumn . About 270 species painted so far . Just need a publisher now !

Not all fungi stand out . This is a tiny white fungus called Hymenoscyphus immutabilis .

Found a nice Blackening waxcap today . Showing a touch of colour in the cap and a lovely lemon yellow stem .

More stuff for the book .

A watercolour painting of Hedgehog fungi which has spikes rather than gills on the underside and is edible .

Green elfcup and Horn of plenty . " additions to the book !

Dead Man`s Fingers in some Dog Lichen and below a Dead Moll`s Finger for comparison . A painting of Dead Man`s Fingers .

I have invested in some A6 hand made watercolour paper . I have painted individual fungi with some pencil notes and signed by myself. Each is set on black card with a cellophane cover .

Tarspot and Holly speckle .

Peziza Varia . Layered cup . Acrylic on board . Apologies for poor quality photos .

You`ve probably seen this on Sycamore leaves and not given it a second thought . It`s called Tarspot , and yes it is a type of fungus .

This is a strange one . A fungus called Alder tongue that sprouts from the cones of Common Alder tree .

The potential fungi book coming along . Pic.1 Notes stuck on wall regarding essential pointers to be mentioned with each fungi species . Pic.2 artwork in line to be worked on . Pic.3. Tracing paper overlays with hand written text . 200 done , many more to go !

This is the bird hide at Kinnordy Loch by Kirriemuir , Angus Scotland . I use it as my studio . I collect fungi and sit on this bench and paint them . I am there regularly .Pop in and say hello. People are fascinated to see what fungi I have found and how I paint them . The bird life is good too with Ospreys and Marsh Harriers seen daily .

What looks like a caterpillar is in fact a fungus of a type called a Rust .

Take a plain white T shirt and some acrylic paints and ............

Snowy Disco fungus . Amazing when seen close up .

Another one painted for the book . Shield pinkgill . Apparently not common in Scotland . The second photo is the tracing paper overlay with the text .

Had some postcards printed from some of my fungi sketches . Quite pleased with the results .

Brittle cinder appearing just now and the cinder part is the black area which is last year`s growth .

Always get a buzz when I see a new migrant for the year . Wheatear spotted today in Gle Moy , Angus .

Found some lovely Oyster Mushrooms today . They will make a nice painting .

What a difference a frame makes . 45 x 37 cms . View from path to Loch Brandy looking down Glen Clova . Acrylic on board . £ 360

Beech barkspot .

Lemon disco , Calycina citrina .

View looking down Glen Clova . Acrylic on board . Will be for sale once framed .

Winter is a good time to look on the underside of fallen branches for this type of fungi which are called Crusts .

Painted today , Common jellyspot .

This is a large oil painting of a Lapwing with its head tucked into its back . I did this originally as a pen and ink illustration for a competition run by the magazine British Birds . It was favourably mentioned by the judging panel .