Lesson 102

Red & Brown Feather

In this lesson we are going to learn how to paint feathers in a classical style - (we have already seen how to do feathers with lustres in an earlier lesson) -. Reproduce the above design on the object to be decorated.

Tracing paper is available in our shop online.

Feathers, like leaves, are done in two halves.

With a brush N°2 and some chocolate brown colour, paint a fine line to depict the tiny hair in the first half of the feather as shown. Start along the central dividing line.
Continue this series of tiny lines, that diminishes in length progressively, till the drawn zone is filled.
With the same brush and some chocolate brown mixed with a dot of black, re-do the same small strokes over the first ones to create more depth.

Prepare some yellow red colour and paint between the brown colour and the central line starting from the central line outwards. These lines will grow longer as you reach the edge. Once you reach the edge, do not hesitate to make brush strokes that start beyond the border of the feather. Continue in this way till the red part is completed.
With the same brush and a mixture of chocolate brown and black colours, paint a series of tiny lines slightly covering the previously applied red colour in such a way that no white zone is visible.

Continue up to the base of the feather.

Prepare some light grey for the base of the feather and, with the same brush N°2, paint a series of strokes starting from the central line outwards. Reduce the pressure as you terminate the brush stroke in order to obtain fine points at the edges.
Cover some of the grey strokes partially in brown to give more volume.
With a Q-tip dipped in turpentine and dried on a paper towel, rectify the first half side of the feather along the central line and then around the edge of the feather.

Do the second half of the feather in the same manner.

With some brown colour and a brush N°2 paint the central line starting at the base and going up to three quaters of the feather towards the tip.

Clean the brush in turpentine and dry it. Retouch the central line once again in order to push the paint along each side leaving the central part lighter.

Fire at  820°C

Retouching: Retouch only those zones if colour has lightened or if you are not satisfied with the colour obtained after firing.

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Paint  used are:

  • 22 - Schjerning - Yellow red,

  • 31 - Schjerning - Brunswick black,

  • 36  - Schjerning - Chocolate brown,

  • 93 - Schjerning - Pearl grey.

Other products and accessories :

  • A graphite pencil,

  • A brush Raphaël reference 8413 N°2,

  • Medium MX 54,

  • Turpentine,

  • Methylated spirit / Acetone.

To order them, visit our boutique on line.

More lessons will be available on line shortly, visit us again!

We shall be happy to read your comments:

anjana.gogel@wanadoo.fr