Parrot Study in Watercolor Number 13

Here is the final stage of the painting. I added a few shadows around the wings and on the bird's face and beak. I think this was a fun study and I would love to do another one, larger! My photo reference was of two birds, so I may work on that in the near future!
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Parrot Study in Watercolor Number 12

To create the bird's eye, I used a number six round brush (Silver Black Velvet) with a nice point. I loaded the brush with French Ultramarine Blue and a touch of VanDyke Brown. The combination of the warm and cool colors creates a darker value without using black. I can push the color combination to warm or cool, depending upon which pigment I use more of in the mixture.
By painting a small comma-shape, I am able to keep the sparkle in the bird's eye.

Parrot Study in Watercolor Number 10

Again, students wanted to see how to add more texture and foliage in the background, so we added some leafy branches on the top left side of the painting. Personally, this is getting a little busy for me, but I have to admit the demonstration was fun.
To create these leafy areas I used a number 10 round brush. My favorite brushes right now are Silver Black Velvet brushes, which I purchased through CheapJoes.com. They are half synthetic and half natural hair, so they are relatively inexpensive, but give the feel and softness of a natural hair brush.
I started with lighter color combinations of yellows and greens, and gently dabbed the brush in what I call a Brush Dance. When doing this stroke, I focus on a small area and concentrate on the handle-end of my brush. I touch the loaded brush to the paper, making sure that the top part of my brush handle moves in several different directions, like a dance. This helps to create a variety in the strokes and prevents them from looking too uniform - something you don't find much in leaf clusters in nature!
From the lighter colors, once dry, I move on to darker greens to build the shadow areas of the leafy clumps. This is a fun technique and can become soft of hypnotic when used on large paintings.

Parrot Study in Watercolor Number 9

I wanted to add a little more detail to the branch, so this would help to draw the eye around the painting and to bring the focus onto the bird.
I used Indigo and French Ultramarine Blue to create some shadows. I applied the pigment to the left edge and under the parrots feet, then, cleaned my brush, tapped on the paper towel next to my palette, and used the clean, damp brush to soften the edge to the right. This technique can be used on any area in a painting where strong color is desired for one side of a smooth object, but a soft edge is required to make it look dimensional.

Parrot Study in Watercolor Number 7

After completely drying the painting with a hair dryer, I have now added a little under-painting for the branch the bird is resting on.
I used a mixture of Burnt Sienna and VanDyke Brown. Only progressing a short distance at a time, I draw some pigment, a relatively dense blend of pigment, just a little water, along the left edge of the branch. I only go about one or two inches, then I quickly rinse my brush, touch it to a cloth or paper towel so that it is wet, but not dripping. With the moist brush, I pull along the edge of the color that I just applied, pulling the water into the wash, not pulling the wash out. This technique softens the right edge of the wash without diluting too much color and without creating a strange edge where the water is applied. Be sure your water is clean and that you do not brush more than one stroke.
I continue with this method along the wooden branch, just a little at a time. If I apply the coat of color too far down the branch, it may dry out before I come back with the water.
Once the entire branch edge is applied with this technique, I can go back and touch in a little more color here and there, being sure to soften edges to keep this under-painting as simply a foundation for details to come.

Parrot Study in Watercolor Number 6

I have added another wet-in-wet wash at the base of the background at this stage. I used Hooker's Green and Perylene Green. I didn't want to have the feeling that the bird was floating too much. However, the background really is secondary to what is happening with the focal point of the bird.
To accomplish this wash I added a light, wet wash of Hooker's Green. Then I charged in darker, richer values of the colors I wanted. As they float in the edges are soft and muted, so they are down-played and they don't take away from the crisp detail of the bird.
To keep the edge of this wash very soft, I used a little clean water. The clear water is applied away from the wash and pulled into the wash. This keeps the color moving INTO the wash instead of continuing to pull color out and creating a funny line at the end of the water.