With basic arts and crafts supplies you can create a realistic-looking painting of a raven.
Often confused with a blackbird or crow, the most obvious differences that set ravens apart from other types of bird include its larger body size, longer neck and thicker, more curvaceous beak. Recognized as one of the most intelligent of all breeds of bird, the raven is a unique, striking bird in appearance, a favorite for many artists to depict in their work. You can paint a raven using basic art supplies.
Instructions
1. Pour 1 cup of black paint into a plastic container. Ravens are fully black in color, so you need black paint to cover the majority of your painting.
2. Dip a paintbrush into the paint and allow any excess to drip off before moving your brush to the art paper or canvas.
3. Press down on the surface where you want the top of the raven's head to be.
4. Paint a slightly curved shape from left to right as though you are drawing a small hill to create the top of the bird's head; dip your paint brush back into the paint any time the bristles are dry.
5. Paint a line on about a 45 degree angle from the head line, down and slightly towards the right. This is the back of the raven's neck and should be about twice as long as the top of the head.
6. Create another line, about four times the length of the back of the raven's neck, starting at the end of the last line and moving in a sideways direction to the right, curving downwards, to create the bird's back.
7. Paint two pointed shapes, one above the other on a downwards angle to make the ends of the wings and the tail end of the bird.
8. Continue painting, moving to the right now in a slightly upwards and outwards direction, until you reach around the center point of the back of the bird. Imagine there is an invisible line coming downwards from this point and this is about the spot the bottom line should end.
9. Paint one thin clawed foot with four long pointed toes with a set of two curved nails on each toe, then a small line to create a space, and paint the second foot, much smaller and slightly higher up to make it appear as though it is in the distance.
10. Paint a rounded line upwards and slightly to the left for the breast of the bird, and end the line just below and down from the end of the back of the raven's neck.
11. Finish the outline of the bird by painting a straight line to the left, a pointed tip for the beak, and a curved line to meet up with the start of the top of the head. You should now have the entire outline of the bird and can add in the details. Paint a small straight line across the center of the beak to make the mouth, a small circle to the right of the break to make an eye and a curved line outwards and downwards starting from the end of the wings near the tail end of the bird and following it up so the line ends just below the neck of the bird.
12. Paint over the entire body of the bird, leaving only a circle around the eye, a small line for the mouth on the beak and the claws on the toes of the bird bare.
13. Wait for the paint to dry completely. This should only take a few hours; refer to the instructions on the paint to be sure.
14. Pour 1 cup of white paint into a plastic container. The white paint is used to create highlights on the bird and help make it look more realistic.
15. Dip a paintbrush into the paint and allow any excess to drip off before moving your brush to the art paper or canvas.
16. Paint over the areas left bare, and add small highlights lightly over the breast of the bird, along the bottom of the wing, and make small vertical lines across the ends of the wings and tail end of the bird to give the impression of feathers.
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