From Picture to Painting
Painting birds has become one of my favorite ways to explore detail, color, and form. While I first learned bird-painting techniques from Jane Kim in her incredible class, I have my own process for the way I approach detailed subjects. It always starts with choosing the bird I want to study and creating a careful sketch. I sketch on drawing paper so I can erase, adjust, and redraw until the proportions feel right, because if the proportions are off here, you end up with a very wonky bird! Once the sketch feels balanced, I transfer the outline onto my final painting surface with transfer paper. That’s when the real fun begins.
I’ll admit, I get easily overwhelmed when I’m staring at a blank canvas. The best way I’ve found to work past that is to break the painting down into manageable chunks. That’s why, in many of my progress photos, you’ll see one wing fully detailed while the rest of the bird is still just a faint outline. Birds naturally lend themselves to this kind of section-by-section approach since they’re made up of distinct parts—tail feathers, wings, beak, feet. I work from background to foreground, filling in one area at a time. The head and face almost always come last, and I love this stage because the painting suddenly transforms—it’s when the “soul” of the bird shows up through the beak, eyes, and expression.
Detail work is both my favorite and most challenging part. I use tiny brush strokes and plenty of reference images to help me capture the unique textures and colors of each species. At the same time, I try not to get bogged down in rendering every single feather. This is something I’ve had to learn through practice: not every detail needs to be included for the painting to feel lifelike. Instead, I focus on the details that matter most—the tilt of the head, the layering of feather groups, or the sharp curve of a beak. Choosing which details to emphasize helps the painting feel alive without becoming overly stiff.
In the end, painting birds is a balance between patience and letting go. Each painting starts as careful planning and sketching, but as the sections come together, I try to stay open to the process, making adjustments along the way. And every time I reach that final stage, when the head and eyes are painted in, I get to experience the same thrill: watching the bird I’ve been working on come alive before me.