MATERIALS
• Photo of bird/birds
• 1 artist quality canvas
• Water
• Containers for mixing diluted wash
• Grey water-colour pencil
• Paints
I use Derivan/Matisse products and Flow Range of paints – Payne’s Grey
Cobalt Teal
Titanium White
Burgundy
Napthol Scarlet (Red Light)
Matisse Emerald
Burnt Sienna
Australian Sienna
Burnt Umber
Cadmium Yellow
Ultramarine Blue
• Matisse MMI Drying Retarder
• Matisse Clear Sealer Medium 12
• Brushes
No 3 (4cm) soft flat brush
No 10 (6.5cm) soft flat brush
No 12 round brush
No 5 fine round brush
STEP ONE
I begin with a pre-stretched and primed canvas. On my mixing plate I start with Payne’s Grey, Cobalt Teal and Titanium White and a small amount of MM1 Drying Retarder in the middle. Dip the No 3 (4cm) soft flat brush in Payne’s Grey and Drying Retarder and begin striping the canvas from left to right, adding a new colour with each stroke, and gradually blending the colours on the canvas, to make a smooth but variegated background. It is very important to allow the canvas to dry thoroughly before you begin each new step of the painting.
STEP TWO
After the first coat is completely dry, begin painting the first layer of leaves. Using a No 12 round brush, have Payne’s Grey, Cobalt Teal and Titanium White on a fresh plate, and roll the brush in each of the colours. Use a “coma stroke” (place the brush on the canvas and pull the brush downwards in a “C” shape, lifting the brush at the end so the tip is the last part to leave the page, this creates a teardrop coma type shape). Using the same process repeat a stroke next to the first and the finished result is a multi-coloured leaf. Next use the No 5 fine round brush paint in the branches, nuts and gum flower bases and outline the gum leaves in Payne’s Grey. For the gum flowers, start with a Burgundy base and while wet place Titanium White on the part of the gum flower that the sunlight would touch, and blend only to halfway on the petals.
STEP THREE
Make up a thin wash of Titanium White and water in a mixing container. Using a No 10 (65sm) soft flat brush, paint over the entire painting; this will tone down the colours. This is the first and furthest area of the bush forest.
STEP FOUR
Following the same “coma” stroke as in STEP TWO, begin painting the next layer of leaves, this time using Matisse Flow Emerald, Burnt Sienna, Australian Sienna and Titanium White. Continuing with the new colours, paint in the gum nuts, branches, and leaf detail using the No 5 fine round brush. For the flowers, follow the same process as STEP TWO, but use Napthol Scarlet as a base instead of the Burgundy, and then lighten for definition with the Titanium White. This layer is brighter and gives the appearance of being closer.
STEP FIVE
Prepare the colour washes in separate containers, one for each of the following colours: Dioxazine Purple, Burgundy, Australian Sienna and Cobalt Teal. Then using a No 12 round brush, from the top of the canvas apply drips of colour, being careful not to let them run into each other too much.
STEP SIX
Once again and for the final time apply a White Wash using the same process as STEP THREE.
STEP SEVEN
After the canvas has dried thoroughly you are now ready for the main subject. I prefer to work from photographs, often blending two or three together to create my subject. Plan where you are going to place the subject. Then gently sketch in the outline of the bird birds, not forgetting the branch, using a Grey Water colour pencil. Block in the base colours of your chosen bird with a No 12 round brush – I used Matisse Emerald, Napthol Red, Cadmium Yellow, Ultramarine Blue and Titanium White. Block in the branches using Burnt Sienna.
STEP EIGHT
Using a mix of the No 5 and 3 round brushes, it’s time to build up the feathers and detail on the birds and branches.
STEP NINE
Painting the final layer of leaves, gum flowers and gum nuts are the same as in STEP FOUR, but you need to add white dots with a tooth pick to the fringe of the flowers as a finishing touch.
FINAL STEP
Final step is signing your finished work and varnishing with Matisse Clear Sealer Medium 12.
