Naturalist Bird Illustration with Watercolors

Naturalistic watercolor bird illustration

“We have reached the end of the course ... however, I hope it is the first step in a long journey of discovery and creation around Nature. As you could learn, naturalist illustrators are dedicated to understanding in as much detail as possible the visual language with which nature manifests itself, in order to translate it into images. The time it takes to create an illustrated image, from all the previous observation and investigation of the models to the last detail of each sheet, is very different from the snapshot of the photograph, and in that course we pay attention to details that are normally overlooked . We observe, measure, compare ... and in that process we begin to understand nature, and consequently appreciate and value its complexity and beauty. When you do your final project, always remember to review various reference sources that you can use to get the inspiration and information you need, and then record your ideas on paper. Also remember the steps that I showed you to build the drawing from the sketch, defining the most important axes and the proportions. To later transfer the sketch to watercolor paper, thus laying the foundation for the color.

We also saw how to identify the colors of a bird, and thus recreate them in a color palette with watercolor. I showed you how to apply the first washes and cover general planes of color. We work the plumage, applying different types of brush strokes, and achieving a variety of textures. I also taught you to work on the contrast and details of the plumage, creating an illusion of realism and volume. And with the help of pencils, I showed you how to retouch the eyes, the beak and the legs. Do not be afraid to start, breaking down the process if you want it in stages: drawing, color, detail, full body; valuing the learning more than the result. Get out, watch, record, experiment… get interested and get involved! For my part, I will be happy to share ideas about your drawings, colors and research. Do not miss! ”

Partial transcription of the video

“Final project We have reached the end of the course. We made a cross between the two areas I love most, nature and art, so I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. We will now summarize the content we saw in the course. First, I introduced myself. I showed you my main works and I also showed you my most important influences. We began by learning about art materials to develop a naturalistic illustration with watercolors. We reviewed the various references and sources that we can use to gain inspiration and the necessary information to develop our project. I showed you some basic keys to bird...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Naturalist Bird Illustration with Watercolors

• Level: Beginner
• 98% positive reviews (827)
• 17116 students
• 4 units
• 13 lessons (2h 4m)
• 6 downloads

• Category

  Illustration

• Areas

  Naturalistic Illustration, Realistic Drawing, Traditional illustration, Watercolor Painting