Blue Jay ~ "Songbirds & Friends" ~ Watercolor Songbirds & Friends The russet breast was built

The russet breast was built in careful washes that warm the painting and ground the cooler blues

The focus is visible in the posture: head down

with no drawing underneath

trading positions in a line with a cooperative efficiency that looks choreographed

Blue Jay ~ "Songbirds & Friends" ~ Watercolor Songbirds & Friends The russet breast was builtThis blue jay watercolor painting captures the loudest personality in any backyard. Blue jays are bold, intelligent, and entirely unapologetic about taking up space. They mimic hawk calls to scare other birds away from feeders. They cache thousands of acorns. They travel in noisy family groups and announce themselves before they arrive. This painting catches that confident, unmissable energy. I painted this freehand on archival cotton rag paper using