Nature in detail
Kingfishers are colourful, fast, stunning birds and are a species we try to spot when we are down by a river. The sound of a single highpitch whistle usually attracts our attention then a flash of blue speeds down the river or, if we are really lucky, lands on a perch, overlooking the water ready to find a meal. With a few bobs of the head to judge the depth and angle of the fish, they then close their eyes and dive into the water, so effectively fishing blind.
Painting this colourful bird is a must for me and for this tutorial we will be working with bright colours, such as phthalo blue, lemon yellow and cadmium orange, to name just a few (see right for colours). Let’s get started!
Drawing-out method
The first thing we need to do is draw the outline of the kingfisher. Although there are many options, for this demonstration I used graphite transfer paper. It speeded up the drawing process and helped me to start painting a little quicker. Should you lack confidence with freehand drawing, but wish to try the painting, this method will keep everything in proportion for you.
Remember that it’s always worth practising your freehand drawing skills; the more you do, the more you will ‘see’. This will hone your hand-eye coordination and help you to work out angles, curves, distances and the overall composition. Practise the skill and, when things aren’t going well, do what I do and try again.
To use this method, print out your reference photo or an outline drawing onto cheap printer paper. This paper will be thin enough to be able
