"The Puffin" Watercolour on Acid free paper. A commissioned painting for a birthday.

I did a careful drawing of the Puffin from a photo knowing as soon as I had got that down I could be loose with the painting. The background is artistic license.

I added a light wash of Ultramarine all over, just leaving the white of the paper on the birds head and crop. I then added the mountains in the background with Ultramarine and Alizarin crimson to give a wash of violet. 

Continuing down I laid on Cadmium Yellow where the grass is going to be. I wanted the yellow to shine through when I put on the green, which will be a mix of Cadmium yellow and Ultramarine blue.

For the cliff face I used washes of raw Sienna, Ultramarine blue and Alizarin crimson. 

After I finished painting I added ink to outline the Puffin and certain parts of the landscape.

Lastly I added Cadmium red to the Puffins feet which is a nice complementary to the green.

Love Chris X

Oh, there once was a Puffin…

Oh, there once was a Puffin
Just the shape of a muffin,
And he lived on an island
In the bright blue sea!

He ate little fishes,
That were most delicious,
And he had them for supper
And he had them for tea.

But this poor little Puffin,
He couldn’t play nothin’,
For he hadn’t anybody
To play with at all.

So he sat on his island,
And he cried for awhile, and
He felt very lonely,
And he felt very small.

Then along came the fishes,
And they said, “If you wishes,
You can have us for playmates,
Instead of for tea!”

So they now play together,
In all sorts of weather,
And the Puffin eats pancakes,
Like you and like me.

 -Florence Page Jaques, originally published in Highlights magazine