Take a Beat

Description

Take a Beat — Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great spotted woodpeckers are the most common of the UK’s three woodpecker species — the bold black, white, and red markings make them easy to identify. Their rapid drumming, used to communicate territory and attract mates, can carry a considerable distance through woodland. Sheffield’s woodland parks — Ecclesall Woods, the Porter Valley, and the Rivelin Valley — all support resident pairs, and they are easier to find once you learn to identify the drumming and their sharp, percussive call.

The birds’ ability to drum at up to 20 strikes per second without apparent damage comes down to a combination of factors: small body size, the very short duration of each impact, and structural adaptations including a specialised hyoid bone that wraps around the skull and helps manage the force. They do not, as far as anyone can tell, get headaches.

Near Hawes

I was at a photography workshop near Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales in autumn 2025 — the same session that produced the reference for Red Squirrel — when I spotted this woodpecker nearby, well away from my usual Sheffield haunts. It was drumming steadily at a trunk. Then it stopped and just sat there for a moment. I took the photo. The title refers to that pause — and to the general advice that it is sometimes worth taking a moment before you go back to hammering your head against things.

The Painting Process

Working in my Sheffield home studio, I completed this piece in a single painting session using oils on an 8 × 10 inch Ampersand Gessobord panel. The bold graphic markings of the great spotted woodpecker suit a slightly larger panel — the contrast between the black, white, and red areas is easier to resolve cleanly at this scale.

Framed or Unframed

Choose the framed option and it arrives ready to hang. The frame is natural ayous, a pale, lightweight hardwood, with a 7mm face and 21mm depth. The panel sits inside it with a 5mm gap all round, so the painted edge of the panel stays visible and the picture appears to float inside the frame rather than sitting against it. A flush mount is already fitted to the back for hanging.

If you would rather choose your own frame, you can buy it unframed. For advice please refer to How to Frame a Painting on a Panel.

Original Artwork Details

Specifications:

• Medium: Oil on gessobord panel
• Size: 8 × 10 inches (~ 20 × 25 cm)
• Depth: 0.3 cm (~ 1/8 inch)
• Available framed or unframed
• Framed size: approximately 22.7 × 27.8 cm (~ 9 × 11 inches)
• Frame: natural ayous, 7mm face, 21mm depth, 5mm float gap, flush mount fitted
• Year: 2025
• Signed on reverse

Shipping & Care

Your painting will be carefully packaged with protective materials and shipped via Royal Mail within 3-5 business days. The panel is robust and archival – oil paintings on panel have been proven to last for centuries when properly cared for. Display away from direct sunlight and extreme humidity for best longevity.