For the Birds (Undone version)

 If you're just arriving, you'll want to read the earlier blog below about the site.  

Above is the beginning of a painting that is still in progress.  This little guy showed up a few weeks ago in the back garden looking into our window.  I hadn't seen a bird like this in our garden until that day.  Perhaps you know what he is.  I'll be checking.  He certainly isn't skittish.  He stayed around for a while even as I took several photos -- kind of posed, actually.  I posted this unfinished painting along with a later version, as I'll do sometimes on this site, because it lets us talk about beginnings and process.  

The paper is textured, as you can see.  It's 140 lb weight, Arches rough grain and is 12" x 16" (31cm x 41 cm).  Paper quality and texture matters.  While a block of this type of paper is not cheap, there are online options and sales at art stores.  I watch for those.  If you're learning to paint, people might recommend low quality paper, brushes and paints. That's a good way to become discouraged.  Low quality paper and paints, especially, tend to result in less than happy results. Then you start to think you're not suited to painting.  And that isn't the case.  Give yourself a boost by purchasing good quality paper, at least 140 lb, and quality paints for oils and acrylics too.

This painting started with washes.  That involves wetting the paper where you plan to paint. Starting with the sky is good.  You soak a round brush in clean water (perhaps size 11 or 12 size brush).  If you want a very light blue (e.g., cerulean light or cobalt turquoise light), you can also put a small amount of water in a cup or tray and mix in the color to your preference.  Holding the paper at an angle or setting it on an angled table easel, paint across the top letting the blue flow down missing some areas that will later look like clouds. You may need to lift the paper to encourage the flow, but do so slowly.  Use this technique down to where you want the peach section to start. Repeat the same process of wash for this area and the green.  The peach color here and the birds chest are different intensities of Holbein Vermillion Hue.  The green here is Holbein Permanent Green No. 1.  You do not need to use these specifically.  

If you don't have enough white for clouds, while the section you're working on is still wet you can take a small, wet sponge (preferably one for painting) and wipe the color away in spots with a circular motion (usually one circle will do for each cloud).  If the section is dry, you may still be able to to do this, but not as effectively as when it's wet.

Once the background is done, begin sketching branches.  Keep in mind where the bird will be perched so you'll leave room.  Go easy with the first set of branches, to avoid blocking the light with too many.  Make some thick and with a somewhat dry brush. Then add a few leaves, perhaps with sap green, olive green and Naples yellow.  Here again, the color can be mixed in a small cup or tray compartment.  Be sure to go light when doing the leaves too.  They can be darkened later.  At first, you're working on positioning and shape. They can even be left white inside until later.  The white to the left of the bird's head above became a leaf later. 

Now you're ready to paint the bird.  If you're not confident or feeling experimental, sketch first.  I dove in because sometimes I can't help myself -- lightly at first so the color could be swept away with a wet sponge if it went wrong. You're welcome to trace the bird from the painting (make it smaller or bigger if need be) and use tracing paper to put it on your painting.  

Painting the bird was a challenge, but an enjoyable one.  Besides, at this point in a painting a mistake is not the end of the world by any means.  You have more paper, water, and paint, so go for it.  Starting over is fine.  Also, you can use white gauche to whiten areas where you might have slipped and also for the beak and hint of an eye to accentuate.  Regular white won't show up or cover mistakes like gauche. Purist painters may tell you that they don't do that.  Do what works, especially when learning and for small areas.  As time goes by, you won't make the same mistakes and you'll also be better able to plan where you'd like an area to be left white.

As you can see in the second painting, additional branches were added along with both darker and lighter tones to the leaves and branches.   Van Dyke brown, black and burnt sienna are useful here. The painting is almost done.  I'll be adding more leaf detail, but it's almost to the point where I should stop and step away for a day or two.

It's good to walk away from paintings if you're tired or tight.  As PD progresses, I'm learning to do less in any given period of time.  There are advantages.  For example, letting segments dry allows you to see if more color is needed.  Perspective is always good.  Take a break and the painting will benefit.  

PaintingDoc PD Tip:  Try to let your hands relax when you paint the branches.  Let them flow across the page even if you're shaking.  Practice on a separate paper if you're worried.   You might take a look at some Japanese paintings of branches.  Note the beautiful flow.  Some branches don't even need to connect to anything.  We're creating an impression, not a photo.  The same with leaves.  You can paint hints of leaves as well as ones that look leaflike toward the foreground. When painting a bunch flowers, for example, a portion can be hints while others are more realistic.  Too many perfect leaves can make the painting appear crowded.

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