While working on some pieces for my gallery in Hawaii, I stumbled upon a captivating photograph by David Lennard of a red-crested cardinal. This stunning songbird, native to South America and introduced to Hawaii, inspired me to imagine it perched in the breathtaking Kalalau Valley on Kauai. With a bit of creative photoshopping, I combined elements from various photos to create a scene that truly captures the essence of this beautiful bird in its new habitat. In this chapter, I'll guide you through the process of painting this environment portrait on a smaller scale, using a 16-inch canvas. We'll explore how to craft a glowing background that enhances the cardinal's vibrant presence, and I'll share simple techniques for achieving intricate details. Whether you follow my steps closely or adapt the techniques to create your own masterpiece, you'll find this scene a rewarding subject that combines the allure of nature with the joy of painting. Let's embark on this artistic journey together and bring the red-crested cardinal to life on canvas.
This guide accompanies the full video lesson. The lesson includes the complete narrated video, the printable PDF chapter, and personalised critique support.
"Kalalau Opera 2" 16 x 16" Acrylic on Canvas by Richard Robinson.
Step 9Painting the bird's head and beak
Paint the Red Head
Spray the canvas lightly and apply pure red with a large brush to the bird's head area. Feather the paint upwards to create the top of the feathers, referring to the resource photo for the correct angle and curve of the feathers.
Darken the Red
Mix alizarin crimson with the red to create a darker shade. Squint at the resource photo to identify the big shapes of dark and blend them into the lighter areas with a light touch. Adjust the darkness by adding black or blue to the mix as needed.
Add Highlights
Mix a little yellow and white to create highlights on the feathers. Use a small brush to pick out a few feathers with light, ensuring the brush is clean and slightly wet to soften any overly solid areas.
Paint the Beak
Start with a mix of black, white, and a touch of red for the darkest parts near the feathers. Gradually lighten the mix for the beak's mouth line, adding bright yellow and more white for highlights. Add a touch of red or alizarin to reflect the red feathers on the beak's base.
Add Reflections
Use light grey to reflect the sky on the beak. Add yellow or orange reflections down the side of the face to integrate the bird with the background, applying the paint in a feathery manner to blend with the surroundings.
Pro tipUse a clean, slightly wet brush to soften overly solid areas and create smooth transitions.
Embark on your painting journey by preparing your canvas with care. Begin with a smooth surface by applying gesso and lightly sanding it down. Select a range of brushes, including flat and filbert brushes, to give you the versatility needed for different textures and details. As you start painting, keep your canvas and paints moist to achieve smooth blends and vibrant colors.
Create a glowing light effect by layering colors and maintaining moisture on your canvas. Progress to painting the landscape, using gestural strokes to build depth and dimension. Pay attention to the natural flow of colors, from the warm glow at the center to the cooler tones at the edges. Add clouds and landscape details, ensuring they integrate seamlessly with the background for a harmonious composition.
As you bring the red-crested cardinal to life, focus on the intricate details of its feathers, eye, and beak. Use a combination of bold and subtle strokes to capture the bird's vibrant colors and delicate features. Carefully position the bird on a branch, ensuring natural placement and realistic anatomy. Finish with the bird's feet and the branch, adding shadows and highlights to enhance the overall realism of your painting.
Points to remember
Always sand the canvas lightly after applying gesso for a smooth surface.
Use a long rigger brush for intricate details.
Keep the canvas and paints wet to create smooth blends with acrylics.
Add a touch of yellow to cloud colors to harmonize them with the sky.
Join dark shapes into larger ones to avoid a bitsy look and create shape harmony.
Use a filbert brush for highlighting tree tops, as its curved shape naturally follows the foliage contours.
Squint at your subject to better see the big shapes and subtle color shifts.
Use a Rig-A-Brush to add fine details and highlights to the bird's feet.
