My latest watercolor painting.
I’ve been using watercolor paint for two months now.
There were a lot of firsts in this piece of art: the first time I painted an animal (from a reference picture), the first time I used masking fluid (I accidentally used a heat tool with it and had parts of the blue masking fluid soak into the white of my paper), the first time I used salt (in the background, my technique could do with some refinement…) and the first time I added splashes.
If I could start over, I would have used some of that background against the white of the bird’s chest. In fact, if I ever give it another try there are a lot of things I would do differently.
I also find it difficult to scan or photograph my watercolor paintings, since the paint layers are transparent.
Well, anyhow, I’m still pretty proud of this painting.
I hope you like it too.
I think as artists, we tend to be too critical of our own work. You see things that you’d change; I see a beautiful lifelike painting with some very cool background effects. Lovely work!
Stunningly goegeous!
I think getting depth in dark colors is a real challenge. Your bird looks fantastic!
I think it’s gorgeous
Gobble, gobble! I’m grateful for this awesome featured project this week!
Thank you very much, @wittychild, @Tapestry, @AIMR and @Edel !
And thank you very much for the feature too, @Abbeeroad !
That’s why I didn’t use any black. Even though a magpie is at least half black, I used ever darker layers of blue and grey. I thought using pure black would have made the painting feel ‘flat’.
The blue is perfect!! This is beautiful and you really SHOULD be proud of it!
I think you nailed it with the not-black! Magpies are so pretty and the ”black” parts consist of so many colours if you stop and look.
The blackest colour I use for watercolour is Paynes gray. When I learned I was told to avoid pure black pigment.
Thank you, @Bunny1kenobi and @Annchen !
@Annchen, I didn’t learn it, but just like you I use Paynes gray for my darkest color.
That’s amazing @madebyBeaG
If I saw that somewhere I’d buy it to hang in my house. I really love it.
Also would be an awesome album cover, shirt or in a calendar… actually it would be awesome for anything.
Aw, thank you for your lovely compliments!
This is absolutely GORGEOUS. I’m super jealous. I want it on my waaaalll. 
Seriously. I can’t stop staring at it. What a piece of art! If you wanna swap for it let me know. 
This really makes me want to try watercolor but it’s so daunting to me!
Stunning work.
Thank you, @RagingSloth and @gozer !
You’re all so kind. I’m humbled.
That painting is gorgeous!
You are an amazingly talented artist.
Totally gorgeous!!
Thank you very much, @Silky_Bee and @MamaRhi !
Wow, Bea! Really beautiful watercolor. Sounds like you’re having fun with different techniques, too. One of the things that I like about your painting is the contrast between the crisp detail of the bird itself, with the hazy blend of colors in the background. Nice!