Artistic Watercolor Techniques for Illustrating Birds
A course by Sarah Stokes , Artist
Bring vivid wildlife compositions to life by exploring modern methods of watercolor painting
Artistic watercolor painting is synonymous with freedom and spontaneity. Some of the most interesting results are achieved by simply going with the flow of the paint and seeing where it takes you. Whether you are a complete beginner or a master of watercolor, there is always something new to discover with every illustration.
Sarah Stokes is a self-taught wildlife artist who translates her passions for creating art and being close to nature into expressive watercolor compositions. Her work can be found in UK galleries like Whitewall Galleries and Clarendon Fine Art, as well as others around the world.
In this course, Sarah guides you through her step-by-step watercolor process for creating an expressive wildlife composition using modern watercolor painting techniques. Start from the basics, explore artistic brushstrokes as you learn how to paint birds, and bring expressive wildlife compositions to life.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 19 downloads
- 99% positive reviews (3.5K)
- 63,733 students
- 18 lessons (3h 14m)
- 19 additional resources (6 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish (Latam), French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create a watercolor illustration of birds perched on a branch using modern techniques.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone interested in learning how to paint birds in watercolor or would like to expand their knowledge in watercolor techniques.
Requirements and materials
This course is great for anyone who is a beginner in watercolor painting since Sarah begins with the basics. However, this course is also suitable for experienced painters who want to expand their illustration abilities with watercolor techniques.
As for materials, you need good quality watercolor paper (preferably 635 gsm), watercolor paints, a range of brushes, graphic black pens, and a white gel pen, white gouache or acrylic, tracing paper, kitchen roll, water pots, scrap watercolor paper for testing, a hole punch for tonal value guide, photo paper and a printer, a ruler, a pencil, and an eraser.
Reviews
Sarah Stokes
A course by Sarah Stokes
Sarah Stokes is a self-taught artist from the Midlands region in England, a place where she finds inspiration and creates work that is full of life. From a young age, Sarah has always been her happiest when painting and drawing, using her creativity to build a successful business career before deciding to return to what she loved most.
She has created artwork for bands, restaurants, breweries, and schools, as well as giftware for clients like Enesco. Her work is exhibited in Whitewall Galleries, Clarendon Fine Art, and several independent galleries. Sarah’s prints can also be found worldwide in places like Next, Wayfair, and on Amazon.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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What We Will Do On the Course?
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U2
Materials, Seeing Tone and Understanding Color
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Materials
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Tonal Values
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Colour Theory 1
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Colour Theory 2
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U3
How Watercolor Works
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Pigment Control and Basic Layering Techniques on Dry Paper
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Wet Paper
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Brush Strokes
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U4
Preparing for Our Bird Painting
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Obtain and Enhance Photo References
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Compositions and Transferring
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Colour Palettes
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U5
Painting Our Birds
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Painting Birds 1
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Painting Birds 2
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Painting a Loose Branch: Adding of Pen Work to Define Shape
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Finishing Touches
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More Ideas / Different Choices
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FP
Final project
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Artistic Watercolor Techniques for Illustrating Birds
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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He disfrutado muchísimo este curso de acuarela para pintar aves.
La enseñanza fue clara, cercana e inspiradora; cada explicación me animó a experimentar con confianza. Quiero destacar a la docente: transmite pasión, conocimiento y una sensibilidad que llega al corazón.
Más allá de lo artístico, este curso me ayudó a enfocarme en algo bello durante un periodo difícil. Me regaló momentos de calma, de aprendizaje y de conexión con las aves y con los colores.
I found this course very well organised, informative and inspirational.
I love Sarah's teaching style and the insights she provides throughout the course. Simple and effective. I highly recommend it.
Un curso muy completo y con explicaciones sencillas. Aprendi mucho, tanto de tecnica de acuarela como de color, composicion y presentacion de los trabajos. Realmente recomendable!
My niece and I explore domestika courses together as we love learning new things and applying them to our work. Dexyn, my niece has submitted and won drawing/art contests at our IL State Fair at the wonderous age of 12! This course has helped us explore watercolor, inks, and much more. thank you so much. We would highly recommend this for beginners and experienced artists alike.