Oil Painting Basics – How to Paint a Bird

Wilson Bickford | Runtime (76 min)

Learn how to paint with oils as you follow along step by step to create this realistic bird painting using only four colors, plus white! Wilson’s teaching style makes it easy to learn oil painting techniques for a distant background and close-up details, blending, edge control, and how to work with a variety of brushstrokes for smooth and rough textures. You’ll learn how to paint filtered light and soft-edged foliage, tree branches and bark, and all the lifelike details of the bird, including how to paint feathers, eyes, and little feet. Along the way you’ll learn tips for composition, how to mix colors, how to correct mistakes, and more, for a painting you can be proud to hang on your wall! 

In this oil painting tutorial you will

• Paint a realistic bird in oil from start to finish using only 4 colors, plus white!
• Learn oil painting techniques for blending, brushwork, color mixing and edge control
• Learn how to paint feathers, lifelike eyes, and other small details that bring your bird to life
• Pick up easy tips for correcting mistakes, achieving accurate highlights and shadows, and more
• Try using a dimensional canvas with Wilson’s instructions–or apply these techniques to your favorite surface!