Finches Primary Colors Watercolor Painting Illustration
By Charlie

Colorful Nature

Written by Charlie O'Shields

For our prompt of “Finch” today, I couldn’t decide which color of finch to sketch so I just sketched three of them in primary colors. Birds are one of my favorite things to sketch so I figured a trio would be a good option for this one. Nature always paints with a beautifully colorful palette, particularly when it comes to birds. The weather has been sunny here lately and so it’s been a treat to get out for walks. I always find myself scanning the grass and staring into the trees, often looking for little creatures that might be hiding there. There seems to be an abundance of bunnies this year and they’re fun to watch scampering around. Also, I’m always on the hunt for interesting ways of portraying light, shadow and color. When it comes to color mixing, all of my ideas come from nature. Even though I tend to use a brighter, more colorful palette than a perfectly natural one, the color concepts are all borrowed directly from the expertly crafted combinations found in nature.

One thing that I’ve adored lately is even just looking out of the window and seeing so much sunshine. It’s been very motivating and I feel like I’m getting more things done. That said, I’m still terribly behind on many things, but I’m starting to get caught up again. Still, I can’t help but smile when I look outdoors. There was actually a little bird sitting on the railing just outside the window today. It wasn’t a finch, but some other small bird, who was very curious as to what was happening inside the house. It kept cocking its little head as it peered in the window and didn’t seem bothered at all by the tall man sitting just a few feet away feverishly typing. I stopped for a moment and we just stared at one another, which is all one can do unless they speak bird. We were an unlikely pair indeed, but I like to believe that something was communicated as we silently apprised each other. It was quite a lovely little moment.

Times today seem rather turbulent, so tiny moments like that mean even more. Just a brief pause from all of the chaos to enjoy something evergreen and beautiful. Indeed, that’s always been how I’ve approached my art. I just doodle bits of everyday happiness, hoping that my posts will go out into the world and make another person smile. I don’t know how to fix the world, but I do know that more smiles can never be a bad thing. I think the more beauty we can share with the world, the more it might remember how to be beautiful. And, as another day passes, I’ll turn another page in my sketchbook. Once again, I’ll grab some ink and watercolor and transform a bit of paper into something that looks a bit like art. Time will stand still and I’ll be back inside my own little world, reminded that it’s a very lovely thing indeed to have a naturally colorful nature.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Hansa Yellow Medium, Quinacridone Red, Leaf Green, Cobalt Turquoise, Terra Cotta, and Ultramarine (Green Shade). Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with black ink  in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book. Want to purchase a print of this doodlewash? Send me a note with a link to this post, and I’ll add it to my shop!
 Finches Primary Colors Watercolor Painting Illustration Sketchbook Detail

 

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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28 thoughts on “Colorful Nature”

  2. This is a wonderful triad of birds Charlie! I agree with you that the sun is a great motivator. It was a very relaxing and productive day in my studio. The windows were open and the air was perfect. I love weather like this.

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  3. We had a killdeer that nested in our backyard this year, and I enjoyed watching the babies bounce around – they really do kind of bounce. I haven’t seen them this week, but it’s been rainy and gloomy so they may just be staying undercover. I’m hoping they’ll be out bouncing again as soon as the sunshine returns.

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  5. It was a hot one today! I like heat, but even I had to come in to the air conditioning. Got the beans and zucchini planted though, so I’m done putting stuff in the ground. Next up, picking things. Peas first I’m sure.

    I have lots of finches here. There were two gold finches at the feeder just before I read this. Cute little things.

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  8. Beautiful trio, rainy day and I struggled all day with my sketch.. then hubby says oh I love the birds so much why don’t you spend the next 30 days doing 30 different birds! Told him I don’t do commissions!

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