Watercolor Spring Chick Tutorial
Learn how to paint a sweet spring chick in this easy and fun watercolor tutorial. Each step is broken down so you can easily follow along!
The exact supplies I used are not critical, but I've listed everything below. Use whatever you can get your hands on! The main things to have available are some heavy paper, water, watercolor paint (either tube or pan), and a couple of brushes.
Supplies I Used:
- watercolor paper (#140 Cold Press)
- round watercolor brushes (sizes #10, #6, and #2 are used in the video)
- yellow paint (Holbein Cadmium Yellow)
- orange paint (Holbein Vermilion Hue)
- black paint (Holbein Ivory Black)
Steps:
1. Prepare your paints by adding a little bit of water to them. Stir the water around so that the paint gets nice and liquidy.
2. Get your larger brush nice and wet, and use it to make a clear blob on your paper, roughly in the shape of a chick. You may want to lightly outline the shape with pencil first.
3. Dab your yellow into the wet area of water using your large brush, leaving areas of white space in between the color.
4. Dry off your brush, and use it to blend the yellow around a little bit. Then, using quick, sweeping strokes, pull the pain out of the blob a bit to create a feathered effect.
5. Let the paint dry, and switch to your smaller brush.
6. Using the orange, add details like the beak and feet.
7. Finally, switch to your smallest brush, and paint the eye, starting with the outline. Be sure to leave a little white area inside the eye as a bright spot when you're filling it in.
General Tips:
- The most challenging part of this project is creating the thin, even lines of the feet. I would recommend practicing first by simply drawing lines on a separate page, over and over. This will help you to loosen up and gain more control.
- Always make sure your paint is nice and wet before applying it to the paper, especially if the paper is dry.
- Have a paper towel handy so that you can remove excess drips from your brush while you're working.
Thank you for watching my video! I hope it helps you feel more comfortable painting your own flowers. If you're interested in learning watercolor more seriously, I regularly offer in-person watercolor workshops near my local studio. Click here for more information, and happy painting!
