Bird Art Lessons For The Novice Painter

By Kenneth Martin


Nature and wildlife has always been a favorite subject for painters. Studying all the beauty the world has and putting it on a canvas gives the satisfaction of being a creator and an observer. One perpetually interesting subject are birds.

There many decisions that need to be made when choosing what type of bird to paint. Consider the message the piece is trying to convey. Great artwork is rich with metaphorical, cultural and religious meanings which makes bird art lessons ideal for a novice artist. There should be little difficulty choosing which type captures the sentiments of the artist.

The medium of choice contributes to the overall impression it gives viewers. Acrylic, oil, watercolor and ink are the most commonly used medium for nature paintings. These types of painting medium make it easier to portray the fluid nature of birds.

Proceed with a study. It is best to study the subject in different angles and gestures before settling for one particular pose. The basic anatomy of a bird comprises the head, the tail, the wings and its feathers. Thanks to evolution, these parts come in different forms depending on species but they are always present in any type.

Choosing the colors to go on a painting can be a bit tricky. Mixing colors also becomes simpler with basic color knowledge. Note, that while it is possible to mix different brands of paint, this is not always true with different types of media. Just like how acrylic can be a base on a canvas for an oil piece, but not oil paint as a base for an acrylic painting.

The type of brush used depends on what medium is used to create it. In general, a variety of flat brushes and round brushes are used to show a range of smoothness and roughness. A fan brush does a great job in portraying an illusion of detail for feathers. The thin pointed round brushes are for the more intricate details like the eyes and outlines.

Adding detail is all about using the range of colors that manipulate the shadows and highlights. These are based on the colors that you used initially to block the basic parts. Emphasize the general form of the subject using darker colors to show shadows and brighter shades to show the reflection from the light source.

Painting birds will be a great challenge. Mistakes are always welcomed when making a piece of art. These 'happy' mistakes tend to become the trademark of some of the best artworks. What the lesson is opt to do is to improve skill, composition and observation.

Painting requires little technicality but more on enjoying the process of observing nature. Go out, go bird watching or even just gather as many references until the perfect picture pops in your head it will be a lot of fun. Birds are free and the painter must be as such while studying this particular subject, whether a beginner or an expert.




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