STEP ONE
Pencil sketch for composition While the initial rough sketch usually takes the least physical time of the whole painting process, it can take a considerable period to settle on the right composition before putting pencil to watercolour paper. The composition for this portrait was relatively simple and was based on a few of my reference photos stitched together (to obtain the best combination of bird facial expressions). I use watercolour paper that I have pre-stretched and taped to a plywood board. I use graphite pencils in a soft, sketchy, semi-loose technique to outline and add details to the birds and branch. I’m not concerned about neatness at this stage, however, for wildlife portraits, form and perspective are particularly important – details around the focal point (usually the face and eyes of the subject) need to be in proportion, and I will erase and re-draw these details where necessary until I get them right. The pencil lines are very faint and barely visible until up close, in order to avoid excessive outlines showing through the watercolour in the final painting.
STEP TWO
Inking the darks I find using a combination of ink
