Cyclone The Macaw

Rich vibrant colours and stunning clarity make this delightful picture of a native bird seem almost real enough to sing and take flight.

- Brenda Holden

STEP ONE

After deciding on size and format, I drew the foreground objects to size with as much detail as possible before transferring them onto my prepared board. When I airbrush a background (as in this painting), I mask the bird and the branch with masking fluid.

STEP TWO

I checked the bckground colour against photographs taken, making sure that the foreground would stand out and not get lost. Using a palette knife, the moss and bark were added to the branch. At this stage I was not looking for detail, but texture.

MATERIALS

• Genesis Heat Set Oil Colours: Genesis Red; Ultramarine Blue; Genesis Yellow; Sap Green; Phthalo Green; Titanium White; Burnt Umber; Red Oxide; Mars Black.

• Brushes: Roymac Golden Sable sizes 000, 1, 2, 4 and 6.

• Round Tip Palette Knife.

• Background: Four coats ofdiluted Mat isse Gesso, sanded between coats, on Saunders Hot Press Illustration Board.

• GMC 1600 watt Heat Gun, to set the oil paint.

STEP THREE