Paint a realistic bird using acrylics

After completing this lecture you will know what the section "Image preparation" will cover.

After completing this lecture you will know how to trace the image of the bird onto the surface ready for painting.

This lecture continues with tracing the image onto the wood, focusing on the foliage.

This lecture continues with tracing the image onto the wood, focusing on the final details. Once this lecture is completed you will be able to start painting your bird.

After completing this lecture you will know how to prepare the paints and brushes you will be using. You will also know how to set out your paint palette, and mix colours ready to start painting the first coat. 

After completing this lecture you will know what the section "Wet Blending" will cover. You will have the tools and materials you need ready for the following lectures.

After completing this lecture you will know how to make the final preparations for the wet blending painting stage. You will think about colour, mixing and the best brushes to use for different parts of the bird.

This lecture will go into more detail about how to paint the head of the bird. You will learn about mixing colours on the painting and different brush strokes to use.

This lecture will go into more detail about how to paint the neck of the bird. You will learn about mixing colours on the painting and different brush strokes to use.

This lecture will go into more detail about how to paint the body of the bird. Different parts of the bird use different painting techniques, which you will learn as you follow along with the course.

In this lecture you will start painting the feathers of the bird. Blending colours to show the light and dark areas of the feathers will help them to look more realistic.

The feathers will be a real feature of the painting at the end and will draw the viewers eye to this part of the painting. In this lecture you will learn how to paint the different layers of feathers to make them look like they are overlapping.

This lecture you will continue to develop your skill in painting the feathers.

This lecture you will continue to develop your skill in painting the feathers.

This lecture you will conclude the wet blending technique for the feathers.

After completing this lecture you will know how to paint the brown layers of the bird. These distinctive brown feathers are part of the natural beauty of the New Zealand Tui.

After completing this lecture you will know how to paint the beak of the bird.

The New Zealand Tui has a distinctive puff of white feathers under it's chin. This Lecture will cover how to paint this and the pollen on the bird's beak.

In this lecture you will learn the tricks to painting the feet of the bird to make them look realistic.

After completing this lecture you will know what the section "painting the foliage" will cover.

In this lecture you will learn how to paint the foliage. This part of the painting is very important for framing  the bird and showing some of the natural habitat of the bird.

After completing this lecture you will know what the section "dry brushing" will cover.

In this lecture you will learn about how to use the technique of dry brushing to add the next layer to the foliage. Dry brushing allows you to add a smooth, soft layer of paint that helps to smooth out the brush strokes from the wet blending layers.

In this lecture you will learn about how to use the technique of dry brushing to add the next layer to the bird. You can use dry brushing to subtly change the colour and tone of the paint as well.

In this lecture you will learn about how to use the technique of dry brushing to add the next layer to the neck and pollen.

After completing this lecture you will know what the section "adding the details" will cover. Specifically you will know which brushes and techniques you will be using.

In this lecture you will be adding the final details layer to the foliage. You will learn about how to make the painting look more realistic using this technique.

In this lecture you will be adding the final details layer to the top blue feathers. You will learn about how to make the painting look more realistic using this technique.

In this lecture you will be adding the final details layer to the claw. You will learn about how to make the painting look more realistic and draw your eye into this area.

In this lecture you will be adding the final details layer to the beak. You will learn about how to make the painting look more realistic using this technique.

In this lecture you will be adding the final details layer to the eye. The eye is the natural place where the viewer will look at first so it is a really important feature to get right. The reflection in the eye is a lot of fun to paint.

In this lecture you will be adding the final details layer to the neck. The New Zealand Tui has beautiful white feathers around the neck area. 

In this lecture you will be adding the final details layer to the white feathers. You will learn about how to make the painting look more realistic using this technique.

When you paint it is normal to make a few mistakes, and get paint in areas where you don't want it. One of the advantages of painting on plywood is that you can easily scrape and sand off the areas that need fixing.

In this lecture you will learn about how to finish your painting to a high standard so it is ready to exhibit and sell. When painting on wood it is important to protect the surface with an oil or varnish. I use Danish oil to do this job.

In this lecture you will learn how to string the back of the painting ready to hang.

In this lecture you will see how I coat the surface of the wood with the oil.

Well done! You have made it to the end of the course! I hope you have learnt a lot and have enjoyed taking your painting to the next level. Thank you for taking this course. Joe McMenamin