Watercolor painting from photo reference
A little bird resting as the sun sets.
My new graphic novel is all done digitally in Photoshop, and it’s been over a year since I last played with real paint and paper. I started missing it a ton! So when Golden Maple reached out about trying their new brushes, I was thrilled - it was the perfect excuse to take a little break from digital painting. I’ve always liked traditional painting more. It just feels a lot more relaxing and calming to me.
This whole experience has me thinking about putting together a painting tutorial series sometime soon, probably in the new year!
I usually ramble a lot in my video commentary without a script, LOL, so I put together a cleaner edited transcript.
I'm planning to paint cute little bird using a photo as my reference. First up, I'll tape down the edges of my paper to keep everything looking nice and tidy. I'm using a watercolor board, which is great because the paper is mounted and won't buckle.
Instead of starting with a pencil sketch, I'm going to dive right in and go freehand with the watercolor. I began by laying down a light background layer to set the mood for the piece. Since I skipped the outlines, I really focused on avoiding any mistakes. I like to start with lighter colors because they're so much easier to work with as I layer on the darker shades. This way, I can build some lovely depth and perspective as I go.
Once the background was done, it was time to get into the details. I darkened a few areas and tidied things up to keep everything looking polished.
Now for the fun part—the little bird! Without the pencil sketch, I needed to be extra careful, especially since I was using darker colors.
When it comes to shadows, I like to steer clear of black because it can be a little too harsh for my taste. Instead, I mix different dark colors, blending dark blue, red, and brown to achieve a rich, vibrant soft shadow.
The plants that frame the bird help enhance the overall composition. I wanted these plants to appear more translucent, especially since there's less foliage surrounding them. For the final touch, I added the birds flying in the background.
Finally, I applied gentle washes to soften the edges of the painting. I aimed for a softer background to keep the focus on the bird. Additionally, I used water to smooth out any rough edges, giving the entire composition a natural, flowing vibe.
And just like that, the painting is complete!
I hope you enjoyed the process as much as I did.
Happy painting, everyone! 🧡
If you are passionate about children's book publishing and eager to develop your talents, join me at the CTN Expo Career Camp on December 22 from 3 PM to 5 PM for one-on-one portfolio reviews and inspiring career advice.
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I’m using the Golden Maple 10-piece Watercolor Brushes Professional Set in this video. To spread some holiday cheer, I’m teaming up with Golden Maple for a fun giveaway! They’re generously offering a sweet 15% discount on this brush set. And guess what? You’ll also have the chance to win a fantastic 10-piece Micro Detail Paint Brush Set! Let’s get creative together!
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What a treat to see your process as you layer details onto your painting and narrate your thoughts along the way.
I loved this video. So amazing to see the colors you pulled out (especially in the foliage) and how it all works together so well. If you are considering doing more tutorials I think that would be awesome. It would be cool to follow along. Thank you for posting this.