Your Set Up

Workshop Replay

How to Paint a Fairy Wren



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Level of Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced

Drawing: The drawing for this composition will need to be completed ahead of time. Refer to the drawing section for instructions on how to draw this design.

Workspace: Have everything set up so that you are ready to draw and paint. I will paint on 5.5"x 7.5" 300 lb hot press Arches watercolor paper. You can choose to make your painting any size you want. If you choose to paint on 140 lb paper I recommend painting on a block or stretching and stapling your paper to a board before the workshop begins.

Colors I plan to use for the bird and branch:

  • Yellow Ochre
  • Phthalo or Windsor Blue (red)
  • Burnt Sienna
  • Sepia
  • Payne's Gray
  • Hooker's Green

Background Colors:

  • Phthalo Blue or Ultramarine
  • Alizarin Crimson
  • Oprea Rose (Optional)
  • Lamp Black

The background colors are totally up to you! Your colors will depend on the background reference image you choose to use.( I'm going to create a forest background with a purple sky.)

I'm also going to use Winsor & Newton watercolor paints, but you don't have to. You can substitute the colors above for similar colors in your palette. They don't have to be the same colors.

Tools & Materials:

  • Pencil & eraser
  • Masking Fluid (optional)
  • Round brushes (I plan to use size: 1, 3, 6, and 12)
  • Mop brush
  • Scrap Paper
  • Paper towels

Optional: Hair Dryer



HEPFUL TIPS: I teach the foundation to drawing in: The Fundamentals of Drawing course. The skills taught in this course prepare you for drawing your designs in the live workshops.

I also teach the foundation to watercolors in: Watercolor Painting for Beginners course, which also prepares you for painting in the live workshops. Check out this course to learn how to set up your workspace, prep your paper, and familiarize yourself with the different watercolor techniques.

👉 Going through these courses first will help tremendously when doing a workshop!