Autumn in the United Kingdom is the time the Great Tit gets down to business. It’s a bustling time for this bird as it scours for insects, seeds, and berries to stock up for the looming winter.

During the day, the Great Tit is a blur of movement, hopping around branches and engaging in its version of office chatter with other birds. It’s not just a social affair; it’s a survival tactic. Establishing hierarchies and maintaining relationships is essential for the tough times ahead.

As the light dims, the Great Tit shifts gears. It becomes a food hoarder, stashing away supplies in hidden spots. This isn’t some artistic display; it’s a practical move to ensure a meal when resources become scarce in winter.

When night falls, the Great Tit seeks shelter in nooks and crannies, avoiding the chill in the air. Its routine is less poetic and more about pragmatic measures to endure the approaching cold.

Why I chose a Great Tit

I decided to paint a Great Tit because of its multifaceted appeal. The bird’s vibrant plumage, featuring a captivating mix of yellow, green, blue, black, and white, presented an enticing visual challenge that I was eager to take up.

The common yet familiar presence of Great Tits in the UK meant I’d have the opportunity to connect with a broad audience by capturing the beauty of everyday wildlife. The Great Tit’s frequent sightings in gardens and woodlands allowed me to closely observe its behaviour.

Beyond aesthetics, the bird’s symbolic significance—representing joy, resilience, or freedom—also inspired my choice. The intricate details (feathers and markings), offered me a valuable challenge for sharpening my skills in capturing fine textures. I aimed not only to create a visually compelling piece but also to convey a sense of appreciation for nature, and potentially spread some awareness of this delightful little bird’s typical Autumn routine.

Feather frustration

Capturing the intricate details of this bird’s feathers was both challenging and rewarding. Here’s what I struggled with and the workarounds I tried.

Challenge: Rendering the fine texture of feathers realistically was so difficult. I’m not great at capturing minute details.

Workaround: I used custom brushes with varying opacities and textures, experimenting with brush settings to simulate the softness and patterns of feathers. Layering different brush strokes helped me mimic (to a degree) the complexity of feather textures.

Challenge: Capturing the directional flow of feathers with intricate patterns.

Workaround: I experimented with lots of brush strokes to emulate the direction of feathers. I used a reference image that I enlarged to try and understand how the feathers aligned on different parts of the bird’s body. In the end I used a combination of long, sweeping strokes and shorter, finer details for a realistic look along with some delicate blending.

Completed work

Here I have added two photographs, one where I had completed most of the painting and the other with additional fine details and shading. Yes, I could so more with the pumpkin but that’ll be for another day.