What's included

    1. Welcome to my online class

    2. Watercolour Hoopoe Tutorial

    3. Copyright information

    4. How to keep your paper flat (stretching)

    5. Watercolour Hoopoe - Downloadable files

    6. Watercolour Hoopoe tutorial video

About this class

  • $55.00
  • Lifetime access
  • Instant delivery
  • On demand

Watercolour Hoopoe Tutorial

In this tutorial, Louise walks you through painting a hoopoe using a limited palette and a focus on soft, flowing washes.

The process begins with wet-on-wet techniques to establish the crest, head, and body, allowing colours to blend naturally and create gentle transitions. As the painting develops, depth and structure are gradually built through layering, strengthening shadows, and refining edges. Particular attention is given to the distinctive crest feathers, using a mix of soft washes and controlled marks to suggest their shape without overworking them.

What You’ll Learn:
  • Building a painting in layers using wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques
  • Mixing a full range of tones from just three colours
  • Creating soft transitions and knowing where to keep or sharpen edges
  • Using negative painting to define feather shapes
  • Developing contrast to guide the viewer’s eye to the focal area
  • Balancing softness and detail without overcomplicating the painting
Artist’s Insight:
This painting focuses on control rather than detail. By keeping most edges soft and introducing stronger values in selected areas, depth and form can be achieved without defining every element.

A limited palette helps maintain colour harmony, while subtle shifts in tone bring the feathers to life. Working from larger shapes first, gradually building darker values, and allowing the paint to move naturally will keep the painting fresh and expressive.
Watercolour Hoopoe Tutorial Painting
Watercolour Hoopoe Tutorial Fullscreen View

Class Preview

Watch a short preview and see what is included in this class.

Checklist

Here's what you get with this class.

  • Supplies list

  • Colour reference photo

  • Line drawing to trace on to your paper

  • Multiple progress photos

  • Photo of the completed painting

  • Full length instructional video showing how to complete the painting

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is your refund policy?

    We think you'll love our classes, but if you're not absolutely satisfied within 30 days, just contact us at [email protected] and we'll refund your purchase, no questions asked.

  • For how long do I have access to the class?

    You have lifetime access. Your content doesn't expire, so you can come back and revisit it anytime.

  • What supplies do I need?

    A supplies list is included with each class, however we do encourage you to work with what you already have.

Dive into Watercolours

No Traffic, No Timetable, No Worries

Online courses are not just convenient, they're better. In our online classes, you get to pause, rewind, and revisit any part of the lesson you want. Missed a stroke? No dramas! Just go back and watch it again. Plus, all our classes are filmed in real-time and fully voiced over. That means you'll catch every stroke, every detail, and every step you need to nail that painting. It's like having a personal tutor on your screen, only better, because you're in total control. So what are you waiting for? Grab a brush, hit 'play', and let's get painting!
Louise De Masi sitting at her desk and looking at the camera.

Student Works

Come back later to see student works painted from this tutorial.








Instructor

Meet your teacher for this class.

Louise De Masi

Watercolour Artist

Louise De Masi is a professional watercolour artist and qualified teacher based on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia. She has over 23 years’ experience as an artist and has been teaching watercolour online since 2011.

Louise’s calm, step-by-step approach focuses on helping students understand how watercolour works, so they can paint with more confidence and enjoyment.

Her work has been sold and licensed worldwide, and she has co-written a book on painting sea life in watercolour.

Social proof: testimonials

“I am taking an in person class and I learned more here today [in this YouTube video] than I have in 6 weeks of the class… Signing up based on this video!”

Irene

“You are an outstanding teacher and are always so explicit with your instructions that you make it almost impossible for us to fail when following your tutorials. You have a wealth of information that you are always so happy to share with us. I have not as yet found another teacher who teaches as well as you and I have certainly watched thousands of You Tube tutorials. You are the best and deserve all the recognition you get!”

Marion

“Just finished watching this tutorial (I always watch them before starting to paint them) and I wanted to say it's so helpful to have the reference photo showing while you paint. I find myself thinking what I would do next and where I would add color and then when you do it too I know I'm learning -- even before I put paint to paper. Thank you for your explanations and thorough descriptions of what you are doing. You are the best teacher!”

Bonnie

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