[squbrigg]

Having tried several Black Capped Chickadees in the past and still struggling with the little rascals, I'll ask for help on the colour of the mantle or cape? Actually I could use help on all the colours of the beautiful little bird, I am having a tough time mixing the right colours! Being colour blind doesn't help, so I have to go by what I read in some bird carving books and magazines, but I can't find one that gives me the right mixes?

I even had help from a chickadee, but it still didn't help mixing the colour.

HELP!!!!

Bob

[Hugh P.]

Hi Bob, the mantle try painting the mantle a mix of Raw Sienna and Burnt Umber, then wash over that with the grey body mix that goes over the wings and tail. Light thin washes. Next put on feather tips with a mix of white and raw umber. finally darken the feather splits by adding a little black to the grey body mix. Hope this helps.

[Hugh P.]

Painting the mantle on a BC Chickadee

[squbrigg]

Thanks Hugh, I'll give that a try. Such a range of colour I get when mixing and blending...... I loose control so easy, and get mixed up. Washes are a struggle, I never know how thin to make them. Layers and layers is what I read about, but I never seem to achieve the results I'm looking for. Mine end up like watercolour paints and uneven in application. Any suggestions?

Bob

[Danny]

I make my washes thin enough so that I can read the type when I apply the wash on a newspaper.You can't make the wash too dilute with water or you dilute the binder .Liqutex has a medium that will dilute the acrylic paint without diluting the binder.It's called fluid matte medium.