Happy Friday! Say hello to another brashly tinted bird staring steadfast into the crocus-hued days of Spring. This week’s bird comes by the way of the dollar store. Looking at my friend Aaron’s sketchbook I asked him about some bright (bright!) washes of colour he had laid down and was shocked to hear he had painted them with bingo daubers! I knew I had to get some and make a bird with them as soon as I could.

Gayla found three dauber colours and a pack of (half dry) fine tipped markers at a near-by dollar store. The daubers are remarkably vivid and can be used “dry-brush” or positively pour out their bright pigment with a quick squeeze. You should totally try them. I want to find a bigger range of colours and try more blending. One of the best parts of the open-ended way I work on these birds is to explore as many media and modes of sketching as I can.

Don’t be surprised if you see more dauber painting here next week.

— Davin

Can anyone really own a bird?

Birds portrayed in the “Drawing from Nature” series by Davin Risk are purely imaginary — any similarity to true species is entirely accidental.