Great egrets are commonly found in North America.
Known for their white plumes, egrets belong to a genus that includes several species of both herons and egrets, ranging from the tall great egret to reddish egrets and the small cattle egret. Painting an egret allows you to capture the beauty of the bird; however, to draw and paint an egret species correctly, you should find photos of a particular egret to refer to. Trace or draw an egret freehand before painting.
Instructions
1. Decide on the type of egret you wish to draw. For example, the little egret, commonly found in Singapore, is the smallest of egrets and eats fish, insects and worms, while the reddish egret lives in shallow salt water hunting for fish. Finding the particular egret you wish to paint will help you find the correct photos and information about the animal. Use the photo to help you visualize the length, appearance, color and habitat in which the egret is found.
2. Draw the egret. Using the photo and drawing pencils, sketch the head of the egret. Draw lightly and include the details of the particular bird such as eyes, feather marks, beak and nostrils. Draw the body of the bird, ensuring to draw a proportional body to its head. Use the photo as a guide as to how big the egret's body should be. Include details of the body, such as thickness of its leg, approximate body length, neck width, wing size and shape.
3. Decide on the type of paint you wish to use. This will affect the final look of the egret. For example, acrylic paints are said to be ideal for beginning painters because they are water-based and fast drying, so it is easy to correct your mistakes by painting over. Oil paints are slower to dry and often more expensive than acrylic paints, but many artists prefer them for their rich and subtle colors. For oil paints you must also clean brushes with mineral spirits.
4. Paint the body and details. Use a flat brush to paint the large body of the egret and large areas of the background. Use a filbert brush for blending together colors on the egret, such as the reddish egret, which contains black, reddish and gray colored feathers in several shades. Use a flat brush to paint the feathers, as it will delineate the feathers in more detail. For smaller details, such as the beak, eyes and legs, use short strokes using a round-tipped brush.
5. Finish by painting in details of the background using smaller brushes.
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