Great Crested Grebe

A  photo by M. Schaefer is the basis for my Grebe demonstration.  The idea  for this class is based on a few requests I’ve had for painting birds  in water.  

This  photo includes several elements, so I will take 3 weeks with my  demonstrations to cover multiple topics.  These include how we might  capture the color and texture of the grebes, reflections in water,  depicting the nest, and background of the grasses.  

If  this looks intimidating to you please know I will try to walk us  through each element with lots of time for questions and for you to  practice.  

I  will demonstrate using watercolor paint with supplemental watercolor  pencils in a larger painting of the full photo.  I will also demonstrate  using one of the ducks on Stonehenge tinted paper for a very different  look.  

PAPERS   Watercolor Hot Press paper or Stonehenge tinted paper.  The color I used is Fawn.

Full Painting on Hot Press Watercolor Paper

MEDIA  choice of watercolor paint, watercolor pencil, with the addition of 2H pencil.

                Watercolor paint: Aureolin, Raw Sienna or substitute Quinacridone Gold,  Burnt Sienna, Light Red, Scarlet Lake, Sap Green, Sepia possibly touches of Cobalt Blue 

 And/or Watercolor pencil:Cream, Light Yellow Glaze, Light Green and/or Earth Green Yellow, Scarlet, Venetian Red and/or  Derwent Watercolor Pencil in Chocolate, Inktense Dark Chocolate and Bark

               I added a few permanent colored pencils: Permanent Colored Pencil White and Verithin Dark Brown or 2H Graphite pencil as an accent.  

Drawing/Painting of Grebe on Stonehenge tinted paper.  I used fawn but you can choose any color you want. 

MEDIA  Watercolor Pencils: Cream, Light Yellow Glaze, Burnt Ochre, Derwent  Watercolor Pencil Chocolate, Permanent Green Olive, Venetian Red,  Inktense Baked Earth, Scarlet Red, Inktense Dark Chocolate and Bark

Permanent Colored Pencil White and possibly 2H Graphite Pencil