WINTER ZOOM ART 2024

 BIRDS

 MARCH 5th & 19th  9:00 a.m. on Zoom

                           $25 for the two classes together

                           ($15 if you choose a single class)

 Although  some types of each group migrate in the spring and autumn, some kinds  of woodpeckers and kingfishers can be seen in Illinois  all year round, so I thought they’d be fun winter subjects,  Join me as I  attempt feathers, detail and texture of the birds and place them in  some familiar settings of our area.  

MEDIA

I  will demonstrate using watercolor paints, watercolor pencils, and  graphite.  These would be projects you could add ink if you want.  If  interested I can talk you through the ink and how you might use it.

Note: All watercolor pencils listed are Faber-Castell Albrecht-Durer Watercolor Pencils unless otherwise identified.

WATERCOLOR PAINTS for both Woodpecker and Kingfisher

Light Red, Burnt Sienna, Scarlet Lake, Quinacridone Gold, Cobalt Blue, French Ultramarine Blue, Winsor Blue Red Shade.  For your white, you can either leave the white of the page or add Titanium White.

WATERCOLOR PENCILS for Woodpecker

Dark  Indigo, Helio-blue Red Shade, Derwent Inktense Sea Blue, Cold Gray II,  Warm Gray V, Derwent Inktense Bark, Burnt Ochre, Dark Cadmium Orange,  Venetian Red.  You can use watercolor pencil or permanent colored pencil whites as well.

WATERCOLOR PENCILS for Kingfisher

Warm  Gray I, Light Cobalt Turquoise, Derwent Inktense Bright Blue, Derwent  Inktense Baked Earth, Burnt Ochre, Prismacolor Artichoke (NOT watercolor  pencil), Derwent Watercolor Pencil Madder Carmine, Venetian Red,  Derwent Inktense Dark Chocolate.  In the background I added: Cream, Light Ultramarine, and Middle Purple Pink. NOTE:  Later I decided to add a little Cadmium Orange to brighten up the bird’s belly. 

You can use watercolor pencil or permanent colored pencil whites as well.

GRAPHITE PENCILS: I will use a 2H and/or 4H Graphite Pencil as well

The elements we will address in this demonstration  include: The Kingfisher, the background, and the branch and berries.  I  will begin with a drawing on my watercolor paper.  I will use hot press  but you can use cold press if you prefer.  If you plan to use mainly  watercolor pencil you can choose Bristol vellum surface because you  won’t need much water for this project. 

The Kingfisher

The  kingfisher is my focus, so I will make it the most detailed.  I will  use graphite pencil or a gray watercolor pencil to contour and give  shape to the bird.  For detail I will either use a graphite pencil or  use a watercolor pencil.  If you prefer to use watercolor paint alone  you can just use a small brush with dry paint for that detail.  

I will vignette the background because I don’t want  to take focus away from the bird.  My goal with this vignette is to  simply pull the other elements together visually but not to be too  exciting.  I will put my background in some of the berries and some  parts of the branch, but I will avoid other sections in the branch and  some of the berries.  This will give some “peek-through” background  color, incorporating the berries and branch into the background area.  I  will not add any background color in the bird, since I want the bird to  pop out from the background.  

In  my watercolor pencil demonstration I decided to use primarily blue in  my background, but in lower intensity and in a very light layer so it  doesn’t compete with the blue in the kingfisher.  I decided to blend the  other two primaries to lower the intensity of the blue in small amounts  throughout the background.  I will add a touch of red in this blue (to  echo the berry color) and a touch of cream because I don’t want to  overdo the yellow, which would add a lot of green when mixed with the  blue.  I will also just add a bit of graphite pencil or gray watercolor  pencil,  since I used the graphite and/or gray watercolor pencil in the  other elements in the drawing.  The gray will lower the intensity of the  blue of the background even more.  

In  order to keep the application of these colors very light you can either  add white permanent colored pencil under the color or just use a light  touch.

If you prefer to use  watercolor paint in your background I will demonstrate using a low  intensity neutral.  I’m choosing Raw Sienna (or choose Quinacridone  Gold) and dilute the paint a lot

I decided to use four different techniques in the  berries.  When used together I hope they will suggest depth in the  background.  I drew some of the berries with my gray in an outline.  I  will not contour these.  The color in these berries will be the  background color.  This will visually move these berries far back into  the background.  In some berries I will start the berries the same way  but add a bit of contour in gray to give them a bit more shape.  These  berries will also move back into the drawing.

The  techniques I will use in some berries which I want to move forward in  the drawing I will add red and contour them as well.  Some of these  berries will also have a bit of background color and some won’t.   Berries I add water to will move even farther forward visually.

I  will draw the branches using a graphite pencil and/or gray watercolor  pencil.  I will incorporate some background color in the branches.  I  will add a bit of Raw Umber and Burnt Ochre watercolor pencil as well.   My emphasis in the branches will be to contour, convey texture, and add  some low intensity color in sections.