[f2]Welcome back[]! Are you looking forward to your next challenge?
I hope so, because I have another surprise up my sleeve.
Our subject for this mini-lesson is a [f2]cockerel[]! [p1]Majestic, isn't he?
For this painting, I want us to continue with the theme of [f2]Impressionism[].
Try to use [f2]loose brushstrokes[] to get a [f2]sweeping sense[] of this bird.
If you can relax and [f2]enjoy the experience[] of painting, this will [f2]shine through[] at the end.
[a4]It's always fun to imagine how other artists would have tackled a subject.
I'm wondering how Monsieur [f2]Monet[] would have dealt with our cockerel.
Perhaps it would have ended up something like this?
The loose strokes seem to [f2]exaggerate his character[], giving him a proud, slightly comical air.
See if you can keep that sense of character in mind as you paint.
I started by [f2]blocking in[] my sketch of the cockerel with a strong, medium-orange tone.
This will stand out beautifully against the blue background that we'll add later on.
Remember how it worked in the Swan lesson? Blue and orange are [f2]complementary colours[].
I followed this up with a slightly [f2]darker colour[]. I've kept it loose and Impressionistic here.
Notice how the darker tone helps to define the cockerel's [f2]three-dimensional shape[].
Next, I added some dark, thin, [f2]sweeping strokes[] following the [f2]line of feathers[] around the breast.
You can see how this starts to give a [f2]sense of texture[] to the cockerel's plumage.
Then I used a [f2]lighter tone[] to finish off the feathers and improve the cockerel's shape.
After that, it was time for our lovely [f2]blue background[]. See how it sets off the orange?
And of course, we mustn't forget the crowning glory...
...the [f2]bright red[] of the cockerel's comb.
At the end, I added a little grey to the tail. One could do more, but I'm very happy with this.
It's your turn to try it now. Have fun, and good luck!
Mini-Lesson: Cockerel
[b1][i1]Keep your brushstrokes [f2]bold but loose[].[][b1][i1]Remember to follow the [f2]shape of the feathers[] at every stage.[][b1][i1]Make good use of [f2]complementary colours such as orange and blue[].[][b1][i1]Save the [f2]bright red[] for [f2]last[] to stop it mixing into the rest.[]