About Karen
I am a self taught artist who loves to paint, and, if you can learn from loving it, that’s what I did. I am now living in Northeast Oklahoma, but I was brought up in Northern Wisconsin. My favorite things to paint are snow scenes and trees. I really like to see a beginner paint one of my designs in their style even though they don’t even know they have a style.
I think painting is great therapy. I have also made many new friends through my painting. I frequently teach a watercolor class at the local Vocational Technical College. I have also taught at several decorative painting conventions and chapter events.
To learn more about Karen and to view more of her work, please visit her website below:
Beginner Watercolor Lesson – Learn How to Paint a Bluebird From a Photo By Karen Frye
My Palette
My palette of colors for this painting is: Ultra Marine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Neutral Tint (neutral tint is a transparent black), and Raw Umber. You can use most any colors and it will work fine. The white on the bird is simply the white of the paper that is left white.
Below is the reference photo I used to create this painting:
The photo below is a simple sketch I created for the painting from the reference photo above:
Transfer sketch to your watercolor paper. For best results use 140# watercolor paper preferably paper that is bought in sheets and separated in smaller sheets to fit your frame.
Begin painting by wetting the whole bird with clean water. Wet, but not puddles. Base the bird with a light wash matching the colors in the picture.
Again wash the whole bird matching colors, this time using a darker value of each color. This time, wash in the fence post the bluebird is standing on with a light wash of raw umber.
In this step, you will define the areas of the bird again matching colors with again a darker value of the colors. The eye should have a small white highlight. The bluebirds’s feet are a
neutral tint and the post is detailed with neural tint. (see photo)
This is a very beginner project. Please enjoy painting it.