Brian Breeze the Budgie

May 24, 2011 by eastwitching


Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth – a sweet blue budgerigar in watercolour

I had to paint the sweet expression of this budgie. The way his head is cocked to one side and his plump pear-shaped body are too cute for words.

I used Fabriano Artistico 90lbs hot pressed paper. It is 100% acid free cotton rag paper and so eco-friendly. Also its surface is magical and sensual and shows up watercolour granulations and blurts and runs which add charm and life to a painting.

Paints – French Ultramarine, Cendre Blue, Cobalt Blue, Cadmium Yellow Deep, Raw Sienna and a dab of Burnt Umber for his eye and white for that spark of life inside it.

Come into my “studio” – probably the smallest one in the world. I have less than 2square feet in which to paint! Yikes:)

Paint the entire inside of Brian in watery blues of your choice – let your mood take you – just leave it a little paler around his cheeks.

Whilst still wet/damp add darker blues to the base of his plump body to suggest roundness. I tip the painting up and down to make the paint run and spatter it to create spotty areas because I like that effect:)

Yes – darker again around his belly and add some marks to suggest his tail – oh and spatter as you like. I do this as it breaks the stiffness up and adds another dimensionand makes the eye skitter around the painting.

Now I add his beak and paint the cere indicating he is a boy (blue for boy budgies and pinky/beige for girls) and add pale dark dark grey to show his feather markings around his head. The characteristic darker blue blotches add the classic budgie cheeks.

Here is Brian with his grey feet painted. I darkened up the blue under the white of his neck to create a more definite demarcation for his pretty head.

Now you can go and paint any relative or friend’s budgie – off you go!

Happy painting

Take a bow Mr Budgie! Watercolour demo

May 21, 2011 by eastwitching

Here we have a dapper budgie (is there any other kind?) painted in simple steps.

Materials used - Cerulean Blue, French Ultramarine, Burnt umber, cobalt blue and a touch of winsor violet. He was painted onto gorgeous Fabriano Artistico 90lbs hot pressed paper with a fab watermark.

I love this paper – so expressive and lets the paint run and granulate beautifully for a sensual look.

This is the finished budgie.

Paint the entire inner area with dilute washes of blues – any you like just leave his head a little paler than the rest.


Start adding darker patches of blue whilst the area is still wet. Also add greys to define wing patterns and facial markings.

Now keep on going darker with the blues around his chest/belly to create roundness – don’t be afriad of banging them in as they will dry lighter and there is nothing worse than indecisive or fearful colour. Whack it in.


Now add yellow/tan for the beak and if he is a boy paint his cere blue and brownish pink if a girl. I only found out today from a lady called Jan that the cere is the bit above the beak! Fascinating fact! Add more definition to the thin black markings on his wings and face. Define his eye with a dark colour then add a speck of white watercolour for his soul. I like to spatter paint all over my animals as it adds another dimension to them and keeps your eye bouncing around the image.

I hope you will try painting thsi budgie – he is a lovely little project on an piece of 5×7 or 8×10 inch paper and a real charmer.

Alison

Royal Hugo

May 17, 2011 by eastwitching

I am painting a lovely dog called Hugo.

He will be king one day and to prove it he is wearing his crown in readiness.
With his Union Jack Bandana and solemn regal look he looks just perfect don’t you think? Part two to come tomorrow..

Enjoy – Alison

1 – Here is Hugo with his main tonal areas already painted (sorry – I was so enthusiastic I forgot to photograph the earlier stages!)

2 Add cadmium red for the velvet of the crown and the stripe on his Union Jack Bandana

4 Darken his nose and rest of face with more raw sienna mixed with burnt umber.

5 – Place darker washes of the same colour above his eyes to form this area.

6 – Add yellow to the crown

More tomorrow – Alison

Watercolour Demo of a Doe for Ashley

April 13, 2011 by eastwitching

Here is a demo of how I painted the doe to the left in watercolour. This sweet-eyed and elegant doe is a commission for a lady called Ashley from Texas..

Once I had drawn the doe I wetted the entire inside area with clear water and let it soak in a bit before adding some pale lavender to the inner ears, just under the eyes and around the muzzle.