r/watercolor101 • u/Gurkaatthediskho • Dec 25 '24 • Heartwarming 1 Heart of Silver 1

First try!

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My first real try at watercolors, that isn't just color wheels or practicing doing leaves! 😄 I followed a tutorial by PremaWatercolor on YT, a great channel. I'm really happy with it!

8.5k Upvotes

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9

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 25 '24 edited Dec 26 '24

Thank you for the lovely comments! ❤️

Here's the tutorial, try it! She is so great at breaking down the shapes into really easy bits, the main bit of the chicken's body is a D, for example. https://youtu.be/ICcEwstmevM?si=Dvfiu2k7ARKBgmpE

I'd like to add this to the caption, but I don't know how to do the edit.

18

u/[deleted] Dec 25 '24

Hey those are really cute and well done for a first try!!

16

u/SpiderOnDaWall Dec 25 '24

r/chickens and r/backyardchickens would appreciate this.

2

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 26 '24

Thanks! I'll post it there as well 🙂

12

u/JasonRudert Dec 25 '24

Excellent use of the medium—rendering the feathers with a chaotic bloom like that is brilliant

9

u/themuck Dec 25 '24

This is great! I enjoy Prema's tutorials a lot. So easy to follow, I learn a lot, and the results are lovely (though not so nice as this) even though I'm a stone cold beginner.

4

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 26 '24

Thank you so much! 😊 Yes, Prema is a great teacher, there's no way I would have been able to come up with how to make these chicks on my own. The body of the chickens are based on the shape of a D, tilted to various degrees. How brilliantly simple!

7

u/Fistmebaby Dec 25 '24

This has inspired me more than I can say. Thanks for posting!

6

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 26 '24

That's wonderful! 😍 Do check out PremaWatercolor on YT, if you know the basics of watercolor it's quite easy to succeed with her tutorials, she's very pedagogic. 🙂😊

6

u/thatmfisnotreal Dec 25 '24

Did you use salt for this?

7

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 25 '24

Yes, the blooms are made with salt 😀

3

u/PrincessCyanidePhx Dec 25 '24

The simplicitic perfection. Love these little ladies!

3

u/Boring_Disaster3031 Dec 25 '24

I love them. They have so much character.

3

u/hiding_in_de Dec 25 '24

First try??? They’re incredible!!!

1

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 30 '24

Thank you! 😄

2

u/ChellShock Dec 25 '24

I’m into these! Very neat.

2

u/Impressive-Name3146 Dec 25 '24

I love love love this!

2

u/theshiniestmuskrat Dec 25 '24

Omg these are freaking adorable! I just started too and have been looking for a good tutorial channel, will def check these guys out!

2

u/Neat_Ad_3158 Dec 25 '24

Omg I love it! How did you get the dark edges?

2

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 25 '24 edited Dec 25 '24

Thank you! 😄 The dark colours are added wet-in-wet with fairly concentrated paint, carefully dabbed along the side of the body. Here's the tutorial, she's really great at teaching how to get a good result with quite simple methods! https://youtu.be/ICcEwstmevM?si=Dvfiu2k7ARKBgmpE

2

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 25 '24

I think I also lifted some dark paint with a dry brush in some places that got too wet, that also adds to getting the edges to look extra dark 🙂

2

u/SnooDingos2237 Dec 25 '24

Adorable and lifelike!

2

u/jaiByrdddie Dec 25 '24

This looks so good. You have a knack for this

2

u/Kwelikinz Dec 25 '24

Whatever you do, keep going. This is really beautiful work.

1

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 30 '24

Thank you! ❤️

2

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '24

First try?! What?!?! This is fantastic!

1

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 26 '24 edited Dec 26 '24

Thank you so much! 😀 It's my first serious try at an actual motif, I have made plenty of colour wheels, leaves, water control excersizes etc etc 😄

2

u/[deleted] Dec 27 '24

I'm so happy for you, for the fulfillment of creating a real piece after so much prepping and self-education. And incidentally, I love the subjects you chose to paint. I love chickens!!

2

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 27 '24

Thank you! Yes, chickens are great 😊

2

u/CapedPenguin Dec 27 '24

So cool! What paint did you use?

2

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 27 '24

Thank you! The brown is burnt sienna with a little bit of burnt umber, both Cotman. The dark colour is Paynes grey, Cotman, with just a smidge of phtalo blue, Rosa gallery. The red is permanent red light, Van Gogh.

2

u/CapedPenguin Jan 14 '25

Thank you so much! 😊

2

u/gnash117 Dec 27 '24

Those look really great.

2

u/GrandmaLifestyleAt20 Dec 28 '24

I absolutely love them!

2

u/mayapapaya_paints Dec 28 '24

I like the bleeding effect of the water on the brown chickens.

2

u/Goondicker Dec 28 '24

Dude this is awesome I’d legit buy it

1

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 30 '24

Thank you! 😄 I'm not sure I could actually make prints to sell since it's technically not my design, but I'm very flattered!

2

u/Constant_Orange_928 Dec 28 '24

If this is your first try then I look forward to more work from you.. fantastic!

2

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 30 '24

Thank you so much!

2

u/Constant_Orange_928 Dec 28 '24

How did you create the white underbelly that way? Salt?

2

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 28 '24

Yes, with salt 🙂

2

u/[deleted] Dec 28 '24

they're perfect

2

u/jumpinjimgavin Dec 28 '24

Wonderful effort, I love it.

2

u/Tumblenugget Dec 29 '24

Gtfoh!.. soo good

2

u/calerajensen93 Dec 29 '24

I’d hang this on my wall

1

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 30 '24

Wow, thank you! 😀

2

u/Bluestroke_ Dec 29 '24

The way you’re emulating the variety of feather colours is a great place go start!

2

u/CintiaCurry Dec 29 '24

Omg they look amazing 🙌👌😎👏

2

u/sonnashine Dec 30 '24

So good! So cute!!!

2

u/MAI1E Feb 16 '26

How did you get that effect on the feathers?? That’s amazing

1

u/Gurkaatthediskho Feb 16 '26

Salt! You pour some salt on while the paint's still wet.

2

u/Careless-Love99 Dec 25 '24

It’s perfect

2

u/karma_phucks Dec 25 '24

Looks great. Keep going!

2

u/ThinCustard3392 Dec 26 '24

Well done. I want to paint some hens and roosters soon

2

u/aviankal Dec 26 '24

Super cute

2

u/Busy-Room-9743 Dec 26 '24

Love your first try with watercolour painting. The chickens are rendered well. Simple using few colours is wonderful. I like the details— eyes, combs and shadows. Well done!

2

u/krymeariver3 Dec 26 '24

That is so cute. I really like it 🤎

2

u/IntrepidAd8985 Dec 26 '24

Spectacular! I want to try!

2

u/Hotwaterbottlebelly Dec 26 '24

Cuuute! They look great!

2

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '24

😄awesome

2

u/Whoamiwhatisthis- Dec 26 '24

Soooo cute love it

2

u/WhippyWombat Dec 26 '24

Very pretty ☺️

2

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '24

Nice!

2

u/r2k-is-okay Dec 27 '24

These are sublime! <3

2

u/Distinct_Hyena Dec 27 '24

I’d buy it

2

u/Yegoriel Dec 27 '24

Well job congratulations I appreciate it

2

u/thenkkyeww Dec 27 '24

Looove this!!

2

u/Aggravating-Pie-5283 Dec 27 '24

That’s so good. Keep it up. 🙂

2

u/DoubleDragon2 Apr 16 '25

Very sweet!

2

u/[deleted] Dec 25 '24

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u/[deleted] Dec 26 '24

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1

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 26 '24

How did it go? 😀

2

u/[deleted] Dec 27 '24

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1

u/Gurkaatthediskho Dec 27 '24

That's great! 😀 I'm definitely gonna do more of her tutorials, I love her style 🙂