Colouring In: The Masterpiece

Last month the PNA had a colouring-in competition to promote Francine Rivers' book The Masterpiece (Die Meesterstuk). I loved the picture and grabbed an entry form, not knowing if I would have time to colour it by the due date. The picture went into a drawer and I discovered in the nick of time. I decided to blog the process of colouring the picture before sending the entry off to the adjudicators by email. I have no idea if it reached them on time, as I only sent it very late at night of the evening that the competition had closed. Regardless, enjoy the steps of colouring this bird with me.

There is not a single are in this design that is not coloured in less than three colours, and these are allowed to overlap in places, as well. Afterwards, every single area is blended with a white pencil.

I start on the darkest blue.

This is followed by the medium blue, and finally the lightest blue.

It is then blended with white. The white is a wax pencil, which gives the picture a bit of a shiny finish as well as to blend the colours.

I use darker colours on some of the feathers, including black and blueish purple.

Start with the black.

Move on to Indigo.

Fill in with dark blue.

Blend with white.

Progress.

I now add some aqua tones, which is mixes of blue and green.

This time I start with the lightest shade.

I move to the medium shade.

The greenest colour fills in the spaces.

Blend with white.

The beak is done in grey.

This is followed by black.

Then orange is added.

Yellow highlights are added.

Blend with white.

The surrounding 'loose' feathers are coloured in the same colour combinations used on the bird. Start with the darkest shade.

Move to the medium shade.

Fill in with the lightest shade and blend with white.

Use all of the colour combinations on the loose-flying feathers.

Even the lettering is shaded.

Again all three shades are used.

Blend with white when done.

The top lettering is done in the shades of the darkest feathers.

Start with black, followed by indigo.

Finish with dark blue and blend with white.

Pay attention to getting the logo of the PNA right.

Even this is done in two shades of red.

Blend with white.

Progress.

Now we need to tend to the background. If the light were to come from the top right corner, the shadows would fall to the bottom left. Use a dark grey to colour the shadows of all the elements on the page, including the lettering.

Fill in the top half of the background with a lighter shade of grey. My grey had a greenish undertone.

Fill in the bottom half of the background with yet another shade of grey. This time the grey had a blueish undertone.

The background is blended with a clean tissue.

The completed picture.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
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