Paint a Blue Bird in Flight

How to Paint a Blue Bird Flying. Give your design motion by painting this blue bird flying along. Easy step by step beginner painting lesson with video.

Paint a blue bird flying (or any color you wish). This design can liven up a painting surface by giving it motion and interest.

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I painted this on a thrift store find, a small stool that can act as a side table or extra seating where you need it. To see the makeover go here.

Get Started Painting a Bird in Flight

1. start with your pattern, transfer it to your surface with transfer paper (not carbon paper).

2. Double load your #12 flat or bright brush with Night Sky and Wicker white.

Need more info on Basics of painting like loading and strokes? Go here!

Head & Wings

3. Make an upside down U stroke to make the top of the birds head. (Ignore the line down the middle, I used that to draw the bird)

4. Re load your brush and come back to do the stroke on the wings. First one side then the other.

Paint Body & Tail

5. Reload the brush, stroke on the body following your pattern lines. First one side then the other.

6. Start at the bottom center of the tail and start laying in short choppy strokes for the tail feathers. Layer your strokes as you ascend to where the body meets the tail.

I got this tail a little wide once I was done adding the feathers but it still works. You can adjust to your liking.

Feather Strokes

7. Now starting at the tip of the wing stroke in the wing feathers from bottom up. (in the video I show how to add some yellow ochre into the wings if you wish, but it is optional)