Join me as I paint my first watercolor of 2026—a loose, atmospheric cardinal study dedicated to my dad. In this tutorial, I'll show you how to create a beautiful bird painting without a preliminary sketch, using simple materials and a one-wash technique that captures the essence of a cardinal with minimal detail. Learn about color harmony, lifting techniques, and the art of knowing when to stop.

In this watercolor tutorial, I paint a baby hummingbird nestled in its nest using Rockwell Art paints on hot press paper. I share my process for creating loose, dreamy paintings with granulating colors, water texture techniques, and a special stencil lifting trick that creates the illusion of sunlight filtering through leaves.

When a barred owl decided to make itself at home outside my daughter's bedroom window, it became the perfect inspiration for exploring watercolor wildlife techniques. Join me as I share the intimate process of capturing this magnificent nocturnal visitor using just three earth tones and a whole lot of patience.