How to Paint Cute Colorful Birds for Beginners | Easy Tutorial to Master Loose Watercolor Painting

Diane Antone Studio
30 Apr 202217:36
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this engaging art tutorial, Diane shares her passion for painting by guiding viewers through the process of creating simple watercolor birds. She begins by wetting an eighth sheet of Arches watercolor paper and demonstrates wet-on-wet techniques using phthalo blue, olive green, and windsor violet. Diane encourages beginners to practice brush control and offers tips on adjusting bird shapes and adding details like legs, beaks, and eyes. She also compares different watercolor paper types for their blending capabilities. The video concludes with final touches like highlights and embellishments, providing a comprehensive and accessible lesson for aspiring watercolor artists.

Takeaways
  • 🎨 Diane's Passion: Diane is passionate about painting and creating nature-inspired watercolors, sharing her work on YouTube and her website dianenton.com.
  • πŸ“š Learning Resources: She provides free downloadable sketches on her website to assist viewers in their painting journey.
  • πŸŽ₯ Video Content: The video features a tutorial on painting quick and easy watercolor birds, which serves as an exercise in controlling water and wet-on-wet techniques.
  • πŸ“ Painting Materials: The painting is done on an eighth sheet of Arches watercolor paper using a 14-draw well golden nylon round brush.
  • πŸ–ŒοΈ Water Brush Technique: Diane uses a Kuritaki water brush to control the application of water and paint, demonstrating how paint doesn't go beyond the wetted paper edge.
  • πŸ”΅ Color Choices: She uses phthalo blue, olive green, windsor violet, and quinacridone colors, mixing them with water to create the desired effects.
  • 🐦 Bird Shapes: The birds' shapes are adjusted as the paint and water blend, showing flexibility in the creative process.
  • 🦢 Adding Details: Stick legs and beaks are added to the birds, with the option to modify the shape as the painting progresses.
  • πŸ‘€ Eye Placement: Diane uses tracing paper to experiment with eye placement, emphasizing the importance of getting the right look for each bird.
  • ✨ Highlights and Embellishments: She adds highlights to the eyes and suggests using white paint or pens for spots or other embellishments to enhance the birds' appearance.
  • πŸ“ˆ Paper Quality: Diane compares different types of watercolor paper, highlighting the superior blending capabilities of Arches paper for wet-on-wet techniques.
Q & A
  • Who is the host of the video and what is their passion?

    -The host of the video is Diane, and her passion is painting and creating nature-inspired watercolors.

  • Where can viewers find Diane's paintings and additional resources?

    -Viewers can find Diane's paintings on YouTube and on her website, dianenton.com, where they can also find free downloadable sketches.

  • What does Diane offer for those who want more than just free resources?

    -For those who want more, Diane offers channel memberships with loads of perks to enjoy.

  • What type of painting is Diane demonstrating in the video?

    -Diane is demonstrating how to paint quick and easy watercolor birds, which serves as an exercise in learning to control water and wet-on-wet techniques.

  • What size of watercolor paper is Diane using for the bird painting?

    -Diane is using an eighth sheet of Arches watercolor paper for the bird painting.

  • What type of brush is Diane using to paint the birds?

    -Diane is using a 14 draw well golden nylon round brush to paint the birds.

  • How does Diane control the spread of paint when adding it to the wet paper?

    -Diane controls the spread of paint by wetting the paper first with water and then adding paint, which will not go beyond the edge of the wetted paper.

  • What colors does Diane use for the birds' bodies in the video?

    -Diane uses Phthalo blue, olive green, Windsor violet, and quinacridone for the birds' bodies.

  • How does Diane suggest modifying the shape of the birds if the paint spreads too much?

    -Diane suggests that if the paint spreads too much, you can modify the shape of the bird by making it bigger or adjusting it as needed while the paint is still wet.

  • What additional details does Diane add to the birds while they are drying?

    -While the birds are drying, Diane adds details such as stick legs, beaks, toenails, and tails to enhance the appearance of the birds.

  • How does Diane decide where to place the eyes on the birds?

    -Diane uses a sheet of tracing paper to draw different eye positions and moves it around to see where it looks best on each bird.

  • What kind of highlights does Diane add to the birds' eyes and how does it affect their appearance?

    -Diane adds tiny highlights to the birds' eyes, and depending on where the highlight is placed, it can create a different effect or look for each bird.

  • What kind of embellishments does Diane suggest for the birds to make them more interesting?

    -Diane suggests adding embellishments such as spots, using a pen for round spots or using water for different effects, as well as considering gold or silver paint for additional decoration.

  • Why does Diane recommend using Arches watercolor paper for wet-on-wet techniques?

    -Diane recommends using Arches watercolor paper for wet-on-wet techniques because it handles water and blending much better than other types of paper, such as the Viva sketchbook or Etival 100 cellulose.

Outlines
00:00
🎨 Introduction to Watercolor Painting with Diane

Diane, the host, warmly welcomes viewers to her studio and introduces her passion for painting nature-inspired watercolors. She shares her work on YouTube and her website, dianenton.com, offering free downloadable sketches to assist viewers in their painting journey. Diane also mentions channel memberships with additional perks. The session's focus is on creating quick and easy watercolor birds as a way to practice controlling water and wet-on-wet techniques, which is ideal for beginners lacking confidence in these areas. She uses Arches watercolor paper and a 14-draw well golden nylon round brush to start painting the bird shapes with water, ensuring the paint does not exceed the wetted area.

05:00
πŸ–ŒοΈ Painting Birds and Practicing Brush Control

Continuing with the watercolor bird painting, Diane demonstrates how to use a Kuritaki water brush to add phthalo blue and olive green paint, managing the wet edges to create the bird's body shape. She explains that the paint will naturally bleed, and adjustments may be needed. Diane proceeds to paint additional birds using Windsor violet and cobble blue, emphasizing the importance of experimenting with water levels to achieve the desired effect. She also discusses the possibility of using a pen for outlining and adding details like toenails, and suggests using a fine brush for tails, all of which contribute to improving brush control skills.

10:02
πŸ‘€ Adding Details and Finalizing the Birds

Diane discusses the challenges of placing the eyes on the birds and uses a sheet of tracing paper to experiment with different eye positions. She advises trying various sizes and placements to achieve the desired look, and highlights the importance of aligning the eye with the beak for a natural appearance. After deciding on the eye position, she adds highlights to give the birds a more lifelike appearance. Diane also suggests adding a mouth with a simple line and considers using a dark color or a product like Dr. Martin's bleed proof white for adding spots for extra interest.

15:03
🌟 Wrapping Up the Watercolor Bird Painting Tutorial

In the final part of the tutorial, Diane emphasizes the importance of using high-quality watercolor paper like Arches for wet-on-wet techniques, as it provides better blending compared to other types of paper. She compares the results on different paper types, noting that Etival 100 cellulose does not work well for this technique. Diane concludes by inviting viewers to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more content. She also directs viewers to her website for free sketches and encourages support to keep the channel financially viable. She ends the session with a friendly farewell, promising to see viewers again soon.

Mindmap
Keywords
πŸ’‘Watercolor Painting
Watercolor painting is a form of art that uses water-soluble pigments applied to a variety of surfaces, most commonly paper. It is known for its fluid and transparent qualities. In the video, the main theme revolves around creating nature-inspired watercolor paintings, specifically focusing on painting birds. The artist uses watercolor techniques to demonstrate how to control the medium and achieve desired effects.
πŸ’‘Wet on Wet
Wet on wet is a watercolor painting technique where the artist applies wet paint onto a wet surface, allowing the colors to blend and spread naturally. This technique is central to the video's lesson, as the artist guides viewers through creating watercolor birds using this method to control water and achieve smooth color transitions.
πŸ’‘Arches Watercolor Paper
Arches is a brand of high-quality watercolor paper known for its durability and ability to handle wet media. In the script, the artist mentions using an eighth sheet of Arches watercolor paper for the painting, highlighting its suitability for wet on wet techniques due to its tendency not to soak up water excessively.
πŸ’‘Nylon Round Brush
A nylon round brush is a type of painting brush with synthetic bristles that are suitable for watercolor painting. The artist uses a 14-draw well golden nylon round brush to draw oval shapes on the watercolor paper, which serve as the base for the bird shapes in the painting.
πŸ’‘Kuritaki Water Brush
A Kuritaki water brush is a versatile tool that combines a brush and a water reservoir in one, allowing artists to paint with water directly from the brush. In the video, the artist uses a Kuritaki water brush to wet the paper and to control the application of water in the wet on wet technique.
πŸ’‘Phthalo Blue
Phthalo blue is a shade of blue used in painting, known for its intense color and ability to mix well with other pigments. The artist uses phthalo blue as one of the colors to create the background for the birds, demonstrating how to drop the paint into wet areas to allow for natural blending.
πŸ’‘Olive Green
Olive green is a color that resembles the hue of an olive fruit, often used in nature-inspired artwork. In the script, olive green is used in conjunction with phthalo blue to create a harmonious color blend for the background of the watercolor birds.
πŸ’‘Windsor Violet
Windsor violet is a deep, rich purple pigment used in watercolor painting. The artist mentions using Windsor violet to add variety and depth to the color palette of the birds, enhancing the visual interest of the painting.
πŸ’‘Quinacridone
Quinacridone is a family of vibrant, lightfast pigments used in watercolor paints. The artist uses quinacridone as part of the color mix for one of the birds, showcasing how different pigments can be combined to create unique colors and effects in watercolor painting.
πŸ’‘Brush Control
Brush control refers to the ability to manipulate a brush to achieve precise strokes and effects in painting. The video emphasizes the importance of brush control, especially when painting tails and other fine details in watercolor, to ensure clean and accurate lines.
πŸ’‘Embellishments
Embellishments in painting are additional decorative elements or details that enhance the artwork. The artist discusses adding embellishments such as eyes, beaks, and spots to the birds to make them more lifelike and interesting, demonstrating how small details can significantly improve the overall appearance of a painting.
Highlights

Welcome introduction by Diane, a passionate painter and watercolor artist.

Diane shares her nature-inspired watercolor paintings on YouTube and her website, dianenton.com.

Free downloadable sketches are available for all videos to assist viewers in their painting journey.

Channel memberships with additional perks are offered for those seeking more.

Tutorial on creating quick and easy watercolor birds to practice controlling water and wet-on-wet techniques.

Use of an eighth sheet of Arches watercolor paper for the painting.

Introduction of a large 14 draw well golden nylon round brush for initial painting.

Technique of painting oval shapes with water before adding paint to control bleeding.

Use of a kuritaki water brush to add paint without exceeding the wetted paper edge.

Adding phthalo blue and olive green to create the bird's body shape.

Adjusting bird shapes as the paint and water blend, allowing for creative flexibility.

Incorporating windsor violet and cobble blue for additional bird colors.

Technique of using a water brush to even out paint edges and let the colors bleed naturally.

Adding details like legs and beaks to the birds with orange paint.

Suggestion to use a pen for outlining and adding details like toenails.

Creating tails with a fine brush using olive green and experimenting with shapes.

Importance of waiting for paint to dry before adding eyes and other embellishments.

Method of using tracing paper to find the best placement for bird's eyes.

Adding highlights and a cute little mouth to finalize the bird's face.

Optional embellishments like spots or spatter for additional decoration.

Comparison of different watercolor papers and their suitability for wet-on-wet techniques.

Encouragement to try the painting process for creating cards or practicing wet-on-wet painting.

Invitation to subscribe, turn on notifications, and visit the website for free sketches and support.

Transcripts
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