kid’s art instruction book “Learn to Draw Birds & Butterflies” [page 2 of 2]: book layout / © Walter Foster—Quarto Publishing

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

This bird has iridescent feathers and a patch of red over its throat. It also has a long, thin beak designed to collect nectar from flowers.

The ruby-throated hummingbird beats its wings about 50 times per second!

Monarch Butterfly

The monarch butterfly is known for its bright orange, black, and white coloring. It is the only butterfly that makes a two-way migration based on the seasons.

The easy-to-spot monarch butterfly does not need to blend into its environment. Its bright appearance warns predators that it is poisonous and unpleasant in taste!

Did You Know?

During cold nights, the ruby-throated hummingbird experiences periods of sleep or inactivity called “torpor.” In this state, the bird’s heart rate and body temperature drop to help it conserve energy.

britta@bonettedesign.com bright appearance warns predators that it is poisonous and unpleasant Did

Tools & Materials

is the simplest medium. However, you can also find mediums and additives made specifically for acrylic paint. A range of gels, pastes, and additives allow artists to alter the behavior and properties of acrylic paint, such as extending the drying time or creating a coarse texture.

Color Basics

Acquaint can help you to mood or emphasize your and wheel can also help you mix colors efficiently. Below are the most important terms related to the wheel. colors are red, blue, and yellow. With these you can mix almost any other color; however, none of the primaries can be mixed from other colors. Secondary colors include green, orange, and violet. These colors can be mixed using two of the primaries. (Blue and yellow make green, red and yellow make orange, and blue and red make violet.) A tertiary color is a primary mixed with a near secondary, such as red with violet to create red-violet. on the color wheel, such as blue-green, green, and yellow-green. When used together, they create a sense of harmony.

Using just the corner of your fan brush with value 2, gently tap the leaves on all of the background trees. Adding leaves to the open areas simply implies that there are many trees in this forest. Be sure to leave lots of open space, as the dark areas give your painting depth. Working wet-into-wet., you will create many different values of green. As you tap on the leaves, the green will mix with the color in your tree trunks, creating even more values of green. Do not add lighter green values to your distant trees, as you want to reserve the sunlight to the foreground trees.

(value 2) white a touch of phthalo blue background trees. Adding leaves to the open areas simply implies that there are many trees in this forest. Be sure to leave lots of open space, as the dark areas give your painting depth. Working wet-into-wet., you will create many different values of green. As you tap on the leaves, the green will mix with the color in your tree trunks, creating even more values of green. Do not add lighter green values to your distant trees, as you want to reserve the sunlight to the foreground trees.

5. Once again, using the corner of your fan brush, begin tapping in the bushes, working from dark to light. Tap some greens onto the rocks to represent moss, grasses, and weeds. Reserve the lightest values for the left side of the foliage in sunlight.

Fully load your fan brush with value 1, and then tap the bristles gently on your palette. Now, holding your fan brush with the handle pointed downward, gently tap the entire side of the bristles onto the canvas to create the grasses, working from top to bottom. Use value 3 for the lighter leaves. Alternate the green values for variety, and use the darkest green value to represen shadows behind the rocks. Use your fan brush to create the waterfall. You will need titanium white and value 11 (light blue), which will represent the water in shadow. With the tip of your fan brush, indicate the water that swirls on top of the flat rock.

At the right edge of the flat rock, tap a bead of color: titanium white in the sun and value 11 in the shadow. Wipe off your fan brush, and with a gentle touch, pull the bead of color down to represent the falling water. Leave lots of the dark gray showing through, as the contrast is important.

Leaves (value 2) cadmium yellow #1

Lightest leaves (value 3) cadmium yellow titanium white a touch value 2

Light blue (value 11) titanium white touch of phthalo blue

ARTIST’S TIP

Use values 1, 2, and 3 for the foliage.