Artists United : Robin Step by Step Stage 3

Pulling it together to make a complete painting.

Robin Step by Step

Adding Details

Stage 3. Now we have a first wash of a robin hopefully from the previous two stages on my blog. It is time to start adding detail and the background. Again you will have to either imagine a robin, or you can refer to a resource photo to see what the beak looks like. But it is pointed and suitable for forraging for food!  I have exaggerated the point of the beak on my robin for interest, purely because it appeals to me more this way! It gives my bird a little bit of character. I did use my fine rigger brush to paint this detail as I find my brush very handy for this kind of  work.

Adding the beak detail

 I like this as it is, so could start a whole new painting of just the robins head!

Now to add interest to my imaginary background. I have my robin sat on a branch but you could make yours sit on a log, watering can, garden statue or chair, absolutely anything you fancy! I do want to paint a wintery scene so I am opting for a lovely cerulean blue sky  and I am working in a negative approach leaving white paper at the top of my branches to form a snowfall effect on them. I haven't used any masking fluid as I prefer to work around the white of the paper.

Snow on the branches formed by leaving white paper

Tip: Make the two branches different in colour. The distant lower branch here is  paler to give a feeling of being further away from the viewer.

And this is where it gets really interesting because I can now decide what to do next. I can add a blue background leaving small dots of white paper in sections to give a feeling of snow falling. Or I can add holly leaves behind to create a more Christmassy atmosphere. I can at this stage do anything I want to bring my painting to completion or I can leave it until tomorrow morning and look forward to adding the very last touches.

A beak,snow on the branches brings this robin further to life as a painting!

How is your painting coming along and where can I see it? Send me links by reply to this blog post please so that my blog followres can see your  paintings and stages!!

Happy painting!