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ballerina_wannabe t1_iy6m2dl wrote

I can’t help but marvel at how clean and precise all the details are. It’s a beautiful painting.

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all_information t1_iy7y29z wrote

It baffles me! I was just using watercolors the other day and now I’m wondering if I was blending too much. This painting showed soo much confidence in laying the brush to paper.

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juinbebe t1_iy6p2ye wrote

This is incredible! The colours, composition, contrast, everything

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Disneyhorse t1_iy6qhss wrote

How did you get such crisp edges? Is it just careful materials handling or did you mask the paper with something?

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kookaburra_kool OP t1_iy6r2p8 wrote

A couple things. I'm obsessive. I used excellent quality paper. A finer brush then I need (I use a round size 3 for the leaves) and I never finish an edge with the back of the brush. I mask the entire border of the image but I didn't use any other masking. And just a lot of practice.

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Disneyhorse t1_iy6s1w0 wrote

Thanks for the reply. I checked out your previous posts… your art has improved so much in just the past year! They are beautiful! This piece is particularly wonderful due to the pop of color.

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kookaburra_kool OP t1_iy6ss9r wrote

Thanks! This is the first time I've really focused on one thing and kept at it.

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quarterlifepos t1_iy6p7yv wrote

This is really beautiful and somehow calming, love it!

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lexxatron84 t1_iy6mthq wrote

It's really lovely. I like the pops of red.

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the_original_Retro t1_iy6pm6x wrote

Nailed the composition. And the paper choice is wonderful.

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SteamySaxAppeal t1_iy877jd wrote

This feels like something from White Lotus. Very cool!

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gambolingon t1_iy8o8y1 wrote

I was going to say the same thing! Reminds me of the intro.

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Mrityukami t1_iy71gdz wrote

Wow, it is beautiful. OP if you have any free tutorial series link for us amateurs, can you please share. I would be very much grateful to you!

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kookaburra_kool OP t1_iy7cbka wrote

Sorry I haven't done any tutorials.

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Solar_Spork t1_iy9e5fc wrote

I suspect they are a lot of work to do... but you clearly have figured out some technical issues and would have a lot to share.
(awesome negative space work, btw)

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sssteph42 t1_iy74jhh wrote

This is my favorite art I've ever seen on Reddit!

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Scroatpig t1_iyb6yhv wrote

Me too. The color and lines are bonkers.

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LisetteCharlotte t1_iy6uspv wrote

Your work is beautiful! I'm always very impressed with people who can achieve such detail with watercolour. Bravo!

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nancy_ww t1_iy74l1y wrote

So lovely! You are so talented!

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fofoxsake t1_iy77rn8 wrote

I love this! The birds, the leaves, the composition. Everything!

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muuzumuu t1_iy81nsv wrote

Please tell me you are professional artist.

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joe32288 t1_iy6uxrj wrote

I love the shadows! They really make the whole thing pop.

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karmachameleon234 t1_iy6wbhp wrote

The birds are beautiful but the leaves are my favourite. J love the colours

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Sirius_Space t1_iy76izl wrote

I can’t get over this. That robin’s red belly and the quality of the paper, nice!

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Maybe_Baby277 t1_iy7a4mq wrote

So crisp, I love it. Do you just really control your water on the brush? I gotta say I'm terrible at that! What brand watercolor do you use?

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kookaburra_kool OP t1_iy7d3w5 wrote

Yeh so I do a light wash of water or tinted water then drop in pigment. And I don't play around with it too much as it looses vibrancy. For the detailed wings and eyes I paint more traditionally. Lots of light layers.

I'm using Daniel Smith.

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FLOS111 t1_iy7corj wrote

Best art I've seen here

Amazing job!

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ImagineTheCommotion t1_iy7ye6e wrote

I would love to have a room with wall paper that looks like your painting in repeat. It’s gorgeous

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Fesab t1_iya3i8u wrote

Solo cool guess I found out a new wallpaper

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Mythic_314 t1_iy6usk0 wrote

Absolutely gorgeous! Love this so much ❤️

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Therighttoleft t1_iy73egk wrote

Damn that's beautiful, i love that there is no back ground

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Valadrea t1_iy77kee wrote

I love looking at your paintings, they remind me of Audubon's illustrations.

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M2LA t1_iy79oza wrote

this is really excellent, it feels like they could just pop out of my screen

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Murrig88 t1_iy7fhft wrote

I love all the subtle color gradations. I much prefer watercolor paintings that focus on color transitions and smooth blending. Bravo!

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Voxit t1_iy7myi2 wrote

This is stunning. I'm amazed by the small details and control you have.

Absolutely love it.

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CrispyRif t1_iy7tz18 wrote

I can literally taste the birds when i lick the screen. This is damn crisp

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OscarCookeAbbott t1_iy7wp8w wrote

Absolutely gorgeous. There’s a reason (well, many) why I chose them as my personal logo.

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blackbirdLan t1_iy7wsk5 wrote

Especially love the way you’ve done the gum leaves! As a bird person as well I appreciate that you have their key features down pat haha. Beautiful work!

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zakkalaska t1_iy7zheo wrote

The texture of the cotton paper has a great effect on this.

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oiiioiiio t1_iy80o4s wrote

Those hues of the maroon/grey/green you mixed are fggn stunning

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player_zero_ t1_iy81eau wrote

I remember you by another of your posts earlier this year that I saved on my phone - great style, feels very cosy!

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Beldamsalterego t1_iy87f7d wrote

This is so unbelievably beautiful. I was just admiring those crisp borders... It looks so elegant, great work.

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hollo-on-fire t1_iy87rkf wrote

this is very beautiful. I like this soo much especially those orange birds...

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thefaceofbobafett t1_iy8cw68 wrote

Beautiful work, please continue to work hard on this.

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eemz53 t1_iy8g5rp wrote

so beautiful and precise!! I love the effect of the textured paper. I wanna touch it 👆🏻

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NatalieFrost00 t1_iy8gqhv wrote

This is beautiful work, true workmanship, very talented

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I_am_Genie t1_iy8h2uh wrote

This is amazing! As a person that is shit at watercolor, I would love to be able to draw like you

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willalwaysupvotecats t1_iy8i8y7 wrote

This is so beautiful, congratulations!! Love the pop of colour of the robins’ chest against the rest of the colour palette, gorgeous!

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winglow t1_iy8kit7 wrote

John, Jay, Audubon and Peterson both would be proud to call you a fellow artist! Majestic work. Thank you.

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hooterboobies t1_iy8mo1e wrote

I can't stop looking at it - it's so well detailed! Kudos! This is amazing work!

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Square_Road_177 t1_iy8sbso wrote

Wow, amazingly crisp lines. Did you use a mask on the paper? Really beautiful work.

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kookaburra_kool OP t1_iya1vj0 wrote

I don't usually mask my work. I mask around the boarder but not individual areas.

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loosegerms t1_iy98fnk wrote

Lovely! Really appreciate all the crisp little shadows cast by the branches and leaves.

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lieslandpo t1_iy9b4ex wrote

I always love seeing your art, the precision is just simply wonderful! <3

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maryjudewashburn t1_iy9wamr wrote

That is an absolutely stunning painting! Your birds are beautiful and the colors are really vibrant. I love this!

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strugglingtumbleweed t1_iya1bed wrote

The depth of this piece of art is mind blowing! Excellent job!!

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Due_Knowledge817 t1_iyb3act wrote

This is Amazing. The Birds are great but the tones of the Leaves are what makes this for me.

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Scroatpig t1_iyb718e wrote

This is like a less depressing Walton Ford painting.

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SabreToothSandHopper t1_iyeagcj wrote

If you look at the bird on the right’s leg for example:

Did you paint that in grey, then go over it again on either side with the tiniest black line brushstrokes?

Or is it one patch of colour, and the pigments just slid to the edge by surface tension

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kookaburra_kool OP t1_iyedueu wrote

Hey!

So in that case, I did not outline the leg. Pigments naturally push to the edges if you're using it quite wet, which I do.

You can see, in the top left leaf and seeds. At the base of the leaf and steam, I have outlined just a touch, to emphasise the node. I do this in the joints of the seed pods too. Emphasising nodes is a great compositional tool.

The main body of the leaves, seed capsules and branches i do not outline. The paint does all the work for me.

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