Watercolour Bird TUTORIAL Quick and simple

In this quick and simple watercolour tutorial I talk you through my painting of a Great Blue Heron.

These are one of my favourite groups of birds to paint (all though I do say that about a lot of birds!!). Those beautiful curved necks that create such wonderful shapes, the character, the features, the colours and the way the light bounces around and catches their form. They are such a great painting subject; and for me the freshness and fun of watercolour really lends itself to this sort of subject.

My main aim in this Watercolour Tutorial really is to try and keep things simple, keep them fresh and as a result the painting comes out fairly quickly.

I ask myself the question, "what can I leave out?", as much as I do, or more so even, than, "what can I put?"

So much of the joy of watercolour painting is how much can you say with as little as possible. How much can we capture the light and the character of the bird. The details are just decorations on top.

Please do consider subscribing and don't forget to hit the bell to make sure you know about new videos as they come out.

Happy Painting!!
T

Hop over and join me on Patreon for a huge library of watercolour birds along with loads of other subject matter and mediums. Everything from time-lapses, narrated paintings, technique and theory tutorials, live streams and of course full length / real-time paintings.

  / tomshepherdart  

---Reference Photo---

Taken from unsplash.com
  / 51482370  

--- Materials ---

Colours:
- Ultramarine replacement
-Pthalo Blue (Not essential - very cool, you could replace with indigo or Prussian)
- Quinacridone Red (any cool red e.g. magenta, Aliazrin Crimson, Scarlet etc)
- Pyrole Red (not essential - warm red like Cadmium, Vermillion, Napthol etc)
- New Gamboge Yellow
- Aureolin Yellow
- Turquoise Blue by Holbein

Paper:
Canson, Moulin Du Roy - 100% cotton, coldpress
9" x 12"

Brushes:
Size 0 Jackson's Raven Mop - Faux Squirrel
Size 10 Synthetic round brush - ProArte Prolene

--- Links to me ---

  / tomshepherdartist  
  / tomshepherdart  
https://www.tomshepherdart.com/
  / tomshepherdart  
https://www.stitcher.com/show/creativ...

--- Series Details ---
This easy to understand painting tutorial is designed for watercolorists of any ability or experience level.

I try to cover some basic watercolour theory that applies to all subjects, as well as some bird specific tricks & tips to help you improve and progress your own watercolour paintings.

I try to use a simple approach these watercolours as we are looking for great results but with freshness and excitement to the way we use the paint.

These painting tutorials are designed mostly for watercolorists, with a mixture of theory as well as some how to painting guides. We cover lots of foundational principles to help students progress their painting.