Mastering the Realism of Painting Birds in Watercolor: Wet on Wet and Lifting

The two most crucial techniques for painting realistic watercolor birds are wet-on-wet and lifting.

In this painting course, you will master these fundamental techniques by painting a series of birds.

Each project is designed to build upon the previous one, allowing you to practice extensively.

The two techniques in watercolor painting, lifting and wet-on-wet, are essential for beginners to learn as they teach how to control and manipulate water and paint on the wet surface of the paper. 

• Wet-on-wet involves adding colors to the wet surface of the paper, which can be intimidating for beginners who are unsure of the correct ratios between water and paint and how to wet the paper properly. On the other hand, wet-on-dry is a simpler approach that takes longer to achieve certain effects and often leads to endless hard edges and overworked areas.
• Lifting is the process of bringing back the highlights using a damp brush over a damp area of the paper. However, it can be challenging to master the right timing for lifting the colors. Starting too early can cause the initial wash to lose its vibrancy due to using too much water on a brush. If lifting is started too late, nothing may happen. Using too much water at the right time can also create blooms, causing further frustration for beginners.