Colourful Yellow-Billed Stork - Confidence with Colour : Preview

Have you ever struggled to relate tonal values to colour?

We know that tone is one of the most important elements in making a painting work, regardless of the subject or style.

Yet learning to see tonal values and then translate them into colour can be a real stumbling block for many painters!

The good news is that once we understand a few simple principles, it becomes much easier.

Building on the previous tonal value tutorial, we'll use paint consistency, arguably the real key to watercolour, alongside a little simple colour theory to show how colour and tone work together. In many ways, watercolour can make this process easier than other mediums once we get our heads around it.

In this tutorial, we'll paint a loose and lively bird step by step, creating a colourful companion piece to the earlier tonal study of the same subject. By comparing the two approaches side by side, you'll gain a much clearer understanding of both tone and colour, while building confidence in your painting.

Most importantly, we'll keep it practical, enjoyable, and full of the freedom and spontaneity that make watercolour such a wonderful medium to work in!