The Journal

Tips, Techniques & Inspiration

Practical watercolor advice, bird-painting tutorials, and stories from the field.

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Technique

Painting Iridescent Feathers: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hummingbirds, starlings, and Painted Buntings all share a magical quality โ€” feathers that shift color depending on the angle of light. Here's how to replicate that effect with watercolor.

๐Ÿ“… March 2025 ยท 8 min read
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Color Mixing

Building a Limited Bird-Painting Palette with 6 Paints

You don't need 48 colors to paint birds convincingly. Learn how to choose six strategic paints that can mix nearly every avian hue you'll encounter.

๐Ÿ“… February 2025 ยท 6 min read
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Bird Study

Raptors in Watercolor: Capturing Power and Stillness

Hawks, eagles, and owls present unique compositional challenges. Strong silhouettes, subtle earth-tone plumage, and piercing eyes โ€” here's how to approach them.

๐Ÿ“… January 2025 ยท 7 min read
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Practice

Why Timed Gesture Studies Will Transform Your Bird Painting

Two minutes forces you to identify what matters most โ€” shape, posture, and key color areas. Artists who practice with timers consistently report faster growth than those who don't.

๐Ÿ“… December 2024 ยท 5 min read
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Field Tips

Keeping a Watercolor Field Journal: Getting Started

A field journal doesn't need to be technically perfect โ€” it needs to be fast and joyful. Learn what to pack, how to set up quickly, and how to make peace with imperfection outdoors.

๐Ÿ“… November 2024 ยท 9 min read
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Technique

Wet-on-Wet for Soft, Feathery Edges

The signature softness of a bird's plumage edge is best achieved with wet-on-wet watercolor. Master this technique and your birds will immediately feel more alive and dimensional.

๐Ÿ“… October 2024 ยท 6 min read
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Bird Study

Birding Without Binoculars: Using eBird as an Artist

eBird is more than a bird-counting platform โ€” it's a goldmine for artists. Learn how to find recent observations, identify hot spots near you, and use the data to plan painting sessions.

๐Ÿ“… September 2024 ยท 5 min read
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Brands

Daniel Smith vs. Winsor & Newton: Which for Bird Painting?

Both are professional-grade and exceptional, but they have different strengths. For granulating earth tones, vivid naturals, and transparency, here's how they compare for bird artists.

๐Ÿ“… August 2024 ยท 10 min read
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Bird Study

Painting Black & White Birds: When "No Color" Is the Color

Penguins, Pied Kingfishers, Black-and-white Warblers โ€” birds with high-contrast monochrome plumage are deceptively tricky. Learn the gray mixing secrets that make black plumage sing.

๐Ÿ“… July 2024 ยท 7 min read

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