Today I have a sweet little watercolor bird to share with you.
I started out by sketching my bird using a watercolor pencil. Then I painted the background around my bird sketch. By painting the branches on wet paper it created soft dreamy distant branches. I love how it sets the mood. 😊
little bird on 8 x 8 inch fluid watercolor paperblock
I worked on the bird and branch in the foreground next. The detail and additional layers of color brought the bird forward and into focus.
I hope you are inspired to create art and have fun. Until next time, share a smile and shine on!
I left space for more flowers to be added later. I should have taken more photos but I’m glad I have this one to share.
I strengthened the buds with darker color and loose shapes. I love how the pretty purple flowers and leaves at the bottom guide your eye up into the painting.
There was enough space for a large flower at the top. It worked out well and became the focal point that this painting needed. The center of the flower turned out really nice. The little bit of dark color that bled into the petals from the center really makes my heart sing. The best part was that I didn’t overwork it. Yay!
It’s important to remember that showing up and having fun really makes a difference. Some paintings will work out better than others. While I may showcase some of my favorite paintings here, I have many that aren’t successful. I do my best to keep in mind that each painting is a step forward and an opportunity to learn and grow.
I painted some pretty leaves and have some in progress photos to share with you. The lighting is not great but it will give you an idea of how this painting came together.
Hope you have a wonderful day! 💚
9 x 12 inch Fluid watercolor paper
The first layer starts off with pale blue leaves that will become the background.
Then I added some pale green leaves after the first layer dried.
As I continue adding more leaves, I am building up with darker color. Using a large round brush (#12) and big carefree strokes I’m able to stay loose as I paint.
I continued using soft colors adding more blue and brown in the last few branches. I think it looks really nice with my gray couch in the photo above. I painted this late last year and am finally getting around to writing this post. 😊 Where does the time go?
I hope you are inspired to create art and do more of what you love. Until next time, share a smile and stay excellent!
I decided to paint a little bird and play around with the background. I have a few in progress photos to show you how it all came together.
Hope you are having a lovely day. 💚
I started with half a sheet of a 9 x 12 inch watercolor paper. I taped off a small border and then I outlined the shape of my bird using a pencil.
The background was first: I wet the paper around the bird using clean water. This lively watercolor background quickly took shape as I dropped in green gold, sap green, and prussian blue on the wet paper. I used mostly lighter colors in the top area and darker colors below the bird. For some additional interest, I dragged the edge of a credit card through the wet paint in random places and it created some nice markings.
Painting the bird was next: After the background was dry, I wet the bird with clean water. Then I painted an initial layer of color.
I had to lift off a little bit of the green that had covered the bird’s beak area when I painted the background. These things happen so I just went with it and made an adjustment. It was an easy fix. If the green wouldn’t have lifted off so easily, I would have just gone with a darker beak instead.
The next layer of paint adds more definition. I added some feathers to the body and tail and then started working on the eye and beak. Placement of the eye is very important so I took my time with it.
At this point, the bird was starting to look pretty good.
Tip: When painting the feathers, be sure to paint them in the same direction as they would be on the bird. To soften any hard edges, you can use a damp brush with clean water.
Sweet little bird
Finally it was time for a little more color and detail. I noticed that my bird was just floating without a branch (oh my)… so that was a last minute fix. 😊
I hope you are inspired to create art and do more of what you love. Until next time, share a smile and shine on!
I had an old painting on my desk that I’ve wanted to do something with for a long time. I planned on adding some ink sketching to it but that never happened.
Floral watercolor base from 2020
Recently I decided to just dive in and play. I used a large brush and lots of bold color. I played with expressive brush strokes and didn’t worry about what “should be”.
Here’s a close up view of the floral
and a full view … I love all the little buds and flowers everywhere. This happy painting makes me smile. I also love that years later I turned this painting into something that I really like now.
I hope you are inspired to create art and have fun. Until next time, share a smile and stay excellent!
Today I have another recent landscape to share with you.
Hope you are enjoying your day. 💙
9 x 12 inch watercolor – Look Beyond
Materials used: Fluid Watercolor paper – hot pressed Daniel Smith watercolors Brushes: Flat 1 inch, Squirrel Mop #4, Liner #1 Cut up plastic credit card Spray bottle
I’m loving this limited color palette. The pretty blue really stands out and just makes my heart sing. The raw sienna seems to glow and gently guides your eye around the painting. I love the little bits of unpainted white paper, it creates a little sparkle on the page.
I hope you are inspired to create art and have fun. Until next time, share a smile and shine on!
Patty Anne - Art 