Nice, thank you Steve. Interesting to note that your goldfinches are a bit different to ours in the UK. Fun fact: the collective noun for them is a charm.
Steve, i love your indigraph pen and wash birds! I bought the pen last year and just ordered their new “fude” nib. Can hardly wait to create my line&wash in YOUR style. Thank you for this video. Im a huge fan of yours.
I enjoy your informational and instructional videos more than any other artist who is doing them. It’s not to say they have nothing to offer, but I learn a lot from you, AND you’re just a fun guy!
Beautiful goldfinches, Steve. I have never had goldfinches at my feeder, but I have lots of the house ones. These are wonderful. I will try some with line and wash.
Thanks for the inspiration! I have two male and one female house finch at my window feeder right now. I can't wait to try the same in reds and browns. I love your backgrounds and wouldn't be able to pick a favorite of the two birds - they are both fabulous compositions!!!
I absolutely love your bird painting videos! They are what inspired me to start painting (and the first thing I ever painted), and I always find I revisit them when I get stuck for motivation, so I'm so happy you've done a new one!
Oh yay 😀!! I am thrilled that you did this. I started with doing birds this past year when I began watercolor painting and sketching with pencil before adding ink. I am still working on getting loose like you do. I am finding that there are many techniques to learn watching you work. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Looks great, thanks for the tips on proportion, I’m trying my hand at a Morpork that’s moved into our area after watching this I can see my eye is in the wrong place. Thanks for the tips and a great tutorial.
Finches are actually a soft beaked species. They cannot chew through hard surfaces like a parrot type bird.. even a parakeet has much more chewing ability. This is why you can keep them in bamboo cages. A full sized parrot can chew through a 2x4 if it wants to.
Dear Steve, first of all I have to say a huge thank you for making videos. Your spontaneous watercolour approach has made all the difference for me getting out of the mudd hole I was stuck in( that is, gathering lots of materials, always procrastinating to start painting due to the fear of not producing sth worth saving. Though having painted a lot throughout the years I still need to learn a lot, but I really wasn't ok with failing). Now I have found joy in painting, not caring about the result. I bought Nita Engle's book "how to make watercolor paint itself" and it is beautiful so far! Thank you for mentioning it in one of your Videos. Now, I have a question. Do you speak anywhere about stretching paper? I haven't found a video in which you do, but it would be really interesting! Nita prepares the paper quite a lot, I was surprised about that. Yet, when I use my paper (arches 300lb) it is all wavy afterwards 🙈, so maybe I'll have to try stretching as well. If you haven't, it would be cool if you would talk about that (or other?) ways of prepping paper. Thanks again for a great channel!!! Greetings from Sweden 💛💙
Yes, i have done a video on stretching but it's just an FAQ (just go to my main channel page and use the search bar. You should find it). There are so many videos on stretching that I decided not to do a step by step process video. I personally don't stretch paper very often at all unless they are large sheets.
Very nice Steve! We usually have a dozen or finches showing up at our feeders every day. Been away and just getting back to catch up on your videos. Don't know if you have considered a camera drone for capturing images for painting. I recently purchased a DJI Mini 2 and find it to be fantastic for composing and taking reference pictures from vantage points that are otherwise unaccessible. The image quality is great and the Mini 2 is easy enough to fly that Reese could do it. Just thought you might be interested. Cheers!
Birds and Blooms has gotten really tough to find.. I used it for reference on and off for decades. Some local libraries have it so you can check it out. We recently moved from Louisiana to Oklahoma and we have entire flocks of Goldfinch that visit the bird feeders in the morning.. they are just gorgeous. I was really shocked to see how much more colorful the birds are here.. you would think it would be the opposite, more color in a tropical environment.
Thank you that was extremely helpful. I have been trying to loosen up my birds for a while now and that looks like a great way of doing it. What was the name of your pen, I missed it? Thanks again Steve for your video. Julie
Doing well. The nib is semi flex. More so than most but it's not a true, fully flexible nib. The only disappointing thing, which I shared in another video, is that it drips ink into the cap if stored point down. Makes a mess. I have to store it point up to keep it clean in the cap. It's annoying and less portable as a consequence. In all other ways it still works great.
Another excellent vid Steve! Coincidentally I just finished watching your own review from October 2016 and then this popped up. Now I’m confused though because you made a disclaimer in the comments section saying you should have mentioned in that vid that a permanent ink will ruin a fountain pen so how is it this fountain pen has India ink? What am I missing? 🤔
@@mindofwatercolor Gotcha! Very unique then. So since we are chatting haha I’d asked under your other vid - were you able to find a sepia colored cartridge refill for the rOtring art pen or did you fill with a converter? Brand of sepia ink you like? Thank you again!!!
All depends on what you need the water to do. If you want an even flow or spread of water you'll need to paint flat. For most simpler washes an angle is ok. You'll end up with a bead at the bottom. You can pick it up or direct it as needed. I'm at about 45 to 50 degrees.
Love your work from a New Yorker in Madrid (Spain) new to Watercolor and Gouache.
Nice, thank you Steve. Interesting to note that your goldfinches are a bit different to ours in the UK. Fun fact: the collective noun for them is a charm.
Steve, i love your indigraph pen and wash birds! I bought the pen last year and just ordered their new “fude” nib. Can hardly wait to create my line&wash in YOUR style. Thank you for this video. Im a huge fan of yours.
I really liked that you incorporated the same tones in the background as the colors on the birds.
Absolutely STUNNING 💯😊
I love birds! I get rosy-finches at my feeder. Can't wait to try to paint one.
Lovely painting of lovely birds
Love to watch you work! Thanks for sharing.
I enjoy your informational and instructional videos more than any other artist who is doing them. It’s not to say they have nothing to offer, but I learn a lot from you, AND you’re just a fun guy!
I think you captured the goldfinches very nicely. They both are well done. Thanks for sharing.
Really beautiful. 🐦
Thank you Steve! 🥰
Goldfinches are so pretty and cheerful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Every video I learn at least one new thing.
Can’t say how much I love your channel. Been binging your videos for a couple weeks now and it’s helping me get inspired to try this medium again
So pretty!
Gorgeous!
Always love when you paint birds, these are beautiful. Thank you!
Beautiful goldfinches, Steve. I have never had goldfinches at my feeder, but I have lots of the house ones. These are wonderful. I will try some with line and wash.
Gorgeous, as always. Thank you for sharing this. I always enjoy your videos,
I love this pen and ink with the watercolor. I also love birds! Thanks for sharing.
Here is to a hopeful spring filled with goldfinches. Love this quick inspiring video.
Thank you. Loved it. Love All finches. My trees are full right now.
Nice lines and brush work as always, your nature stuff is awesome Steve.😀🐦
Thank you Mr. Mitchell for sharing your artistic skills. The Mind of Watercolor has taught me valuable techniques and inspiration.
I just started birds with pen and wash. Perfect timing and very helpful as usual!
Thanks for the inspiration! I have two male and one female house finch at my window feeder right now. I can't wait to try the same in reds and browns. I love your backgrounds and wouldn't be able to pick a favorite of the two birds - they are both fabulous compositions!!!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us! Birds are amazing.
I need to show your work to my mother... she have a passion for that.
Amazing I love them both❣️👍😊
Your drawing is marvellous!
Beautiful! My favourite method - thank you
Very fresh and beautiful!!
Love how you did the background. Love the limited colours. Really harmonious.Always learn something from you.
I absolutely love your bird painting videos! They are what inspired me to start painting (and the first thing I ever painted), and I always find I revisit them when I get stuck for motivation, so I'm so happy you've done a new one!
Beautiful work and such a helpful video. My latest favorite style is line and wash. I love Birds and Blooms magazine for art inspiration.
Oh yay 😀!! I am thrilled that you did this. I started with doing birds this past year when I began watercolor painting and sketching with pencil before adding ink. I am still working on getting loose like you do. I am finding that there are many techniques to learn watching you work. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Looks great, thanks for the tips on proportion, I’m trying my hand at a Morpork that’s moved into our area after watching this I can see my eye is in the wrong place. Thanks for the tips and a great tutorial.
Both cute. Lovely colors.
Finches are actually a soft beaked species. They cannot chew through hard surfaces like a parrot type bird.. even a parakeet has much more chewing ability. This is why you can keep them in bamboo cages. A full sized parrot can chew through a 2x4 if it wants to.
Great work Steve I think I need to have a go at birds, I have a lovely photograph that I took at an owl show!
Hi my name is Fawn, nice to meet you. I’m a rookie....I would love to see a hummingbird painted. Thank you 🙂
Lovely!
Lovely
Dear Steve, first of all I have to say a huge thank you for making videos. Your spontaneous watercolour approach has made all the difference for me getting out of the mudd hole I was stuck in( that is, gathering lots of materials, always procrastinating to start painting due to the fear of not producing sth worth saving. Though having painted a lot throughout the years I still need to learn a lot, but I really wasn't ok with failing). Now I have found joy in painting, not caring about the result. I bought Nita Engle's book "how to make watercolor paint itself" and it is beautiful so far! Thank you for mentioning it in one of your Videos. Now, I have a question. Do you speak anywhere about stretching paper? I haven't found a video in which you do, but it would be really interesting! Nita prepares the paper quite a lot, I was surprised about that. Yet, when I use my paper (arches 300lb) it is all wavy afterwards 🙈, so maybe I'll have to try stretching as well. If you haven't, it would be cool if you would talk about that (or other?) ways of prepping paper. Thanks again for a great channel!!! Greetings from Sweden 💛💙
Yes, i have done a video on stretching but it's just an FAQ (just go to my main channel page and use the search bar. You should find it). There are so many videos on stretching that I decided not to do a step by step process video. I personally don't stretch paper very often at all unless they are large sheets.
Very nice Steve! We usually have a dozen or finches showing up at our feeders every day. Been away and just getting back to catch up on your videos. Don't know if you have considered a camera drone for capturing images for painting. I recently purchased a DJI Mini 2 and find it to be fantastic for composing and taking reference pictures from vantage points that are otherwise unaccessible. The image quality is great and the Mini 2 is easy enough to fly that Reese could do it. Just thought you might be interested. Cheers!
I've considered it a few times. The Mini 2 looks great.
So subjective; prefer the top! 🤷🏻♀️
Birds and Blooms has gotten really tough to find.. I used it for reference on and off for decades. Some local libraries have it so you can check it out. We recently moved from Louisiana to Oklahoma and we have entire flocks of Goldfinch that visit the bird feeders in the morning.. they are just gorgeous. I was really shocked to see how much more colorful the birds are here.. you would think it would be the opposite, more color in a tropical environment.
Our local Barnes and Noble almost always has an issue on the stand. Finches camp out in swarms on our feeder too. Sometimes a dozen at at time.
Thank you that was extremely helpful. I have been trying to loosen up my birds for a while now and that looks like a great way of doing it. What was the name of your pen, I missed it? Thanks again Steve for your video. Julie
Indigraph. Links are in the description.
How’s that Indigraph holding up now, Feb 2022. And does it have a flex nib? Thx Steve!
Doing well. The nib is semi flex. More so than most but it's not a true, fully flexible nib. The only disappointing thing, which I shared in another video, is that it drips ink into the cap if stored point down. Makes a mess. I have to store it point up to keep it clean in the cap. It's annoying and less portable as a consequence. In all other ways it still works great.
I think your standing to close to the forest. Both birds look good.
Hey steve do you use the Merlin bird app to id the species? Its a fun ap
No not tried it.
Looks like your paper is on a major angle~ 45 degrees?
Yes.
Another excellent vid Steve! Coincidentally I just finished watching your own review from October 2016 and then this popped up. Now I’m confused though because you made a disclaimer in the comments section saying you should have mentioned in that vid that a permanent ink will ruin a fountain pen so how is it this fountain pen has India ink? What am I missing? 🤔
Yes, exactly. Thats what's unique about this pen. It's designed to take India ink. See the review link in the video description.
@@mindofwatercolor Gotcha! Very unique then. So since we are chatting haha I’d asked under your other vid - were you able to find a sepia colored cartridge refill for the rOtring art pen or did you fill with a converter? Brand of sepia ink you like? Thank you again!!!
Brand of sketchbook and weight/type of paper? Is it the Bee Paper Company one?
It is but this size isn't currently available. This is the smaller size is at the moment. amzn.to/3u2vPL2
🙏😃
I prefer the top bird myself.
I seem to have to keep my paper flat on the table to avoid drips. I’d love to paint upright like you do. What’s the secret?
I paint at an angle.. it's just water control. Paper makes a difference too.
All depends on what you need the water to do. If you want an even flow or spread of water you'll need to paint flat. For most simpler washes an angle is ok. You'll end up with a bead at the bottom. You can pick it up or direct it as needed. I'm at about 45 to 50 degrees.
Your pencil link is the same as your paper.
Oops. Fixed it, thanks!
Can u do a turtle 🐢
So...did you fill up your "bird book" already? The sunshine outside is pulling my to do some plein air. Birds would be perfect!
I stopped using that book. Didn't love the paper. I'll probably use it for gouache eventually