top of page

How to paint loose hummingbirds

... blending colours on the page

Loose Watercolour Hummingbirds flatlay LR.jpg
Aim of the session


To explore loose, expressive watercolour techniques and create vibrant hummingbirds. This session is about process over perfection, encouraging confidence, mark-making and personal interpretation.



Materials
 

  • Watercolour paper, 300gsm cold pressed

  • Tube watercolours

  • Cocktail stick

  • Brushes (medium round + small detail brush)

  • Black fine liner or black biro

  • White gouache (optional)

  • Tissue / kitchen roll

  • Water pot

  • Pencil

​

​

Handy Hints

​Do a few of these and treat them as colour experiments.  We're painting in a loose style and letting the colours mix and wander around on the page.    

Colours:

 

Here are my colour combos from my examples below - feel free to experiment with your own.  A good idea is to choose two or three colours that are near each other on the colour wheel,  that way , your colours will stay vibrant.

 

For example, if you choose a blue and a pink, when the colours mix you will get a bonus colour - purple

​

Colour schemes that include complimentary colours, i.e. blue and orange, can look fab.  However, you need to wait for the first colour to completely dry before adding it's compliment.  When complimentary colours are mixed when wet, they desaturate each other - dulling the painting.


Cerulean blue & Pink
Yellow, green & blue

Purple, pink & blue​

Paynes Grey, Rose Madder, Sap Green & Lemon Yellow

Prussian Blue, orange, purple, turquoise 

Turquoise, yellow, purple, paynes grey


 

hummingbird sketch.jpg

  1. Lightly sketch or trace the hummingbird

    Keep it simple and flowing – think teardrop body + curved beak + swooshy tail.

No feathers yet. Just:

Head (small oval)

Body (larger oval tapering at the tail)

Long beak (slightly curved)

Wings as soft leaf shapes

 

  • Leave the wings for now and start with the head and body.  Choose your first colour and lay some medium consistency paint down onto dry paper, along the belly.  Use a second brush, with just a little water, to pull from this pool of paint and start to wash it across the body.  As you move around the sketch, add in your second colour and let it run into the first naturally.  You're looking for smooth blends.  

    Keep the bottom of the belly and chin darker and get lighter (more water) as you rise up.   Avoid the eye area

    While the paint is still wet, use your cocktail stick to add some curves to suggest feathers on the chest.

    Pull the colour down the beak. Use a mix of colour if possible.

    If too much paint or water on your hummingbird, use a thirsty brush or tissue to lift some up.

Hummingbird LR 2.jpg

​

 

  • Move onto the wings.  We're aiming to keep these very light and just a little darker where they join the body.  Use a cocktail stick to add the wing markings

    Let it dry

     

  • Using a fine liner or biro colour in the eye, leaving a white space for the highlight

​

You can stop here  or add some additional diluted paint and splashes to suggest background and movement.

​

Maybe your hummingbird would like some loose flowers too.  Good luck

Hummingbird LR 1.jpg
bottom of page