NUTHATCH IN DOGWOOD

2. Apply 3 coats of a very light grey underglaze to your entire piece.

3. Pull-off Wax & Peel, and reposition your pattern - realigning the flowers. Then transfer the remaining pattern.

4. Crumble some tracing paper and dab it into Smoke Grey. Pounce-off excess paint, and sponge to the outside of the heart, being careful not to dab onto the pattern.

5. For branches, load your #6 Liner brush with Cobblestone.

6. Side load brush with French Brown, and side load opposite side with Mahogany. Triple load your brush to create your branches, keeping the French Brown to the bottom of the branch. Apply pressure and ease off, making thick and thin branches. Note: Don't forget to make some small twigs.

7. Flowers: Basecoat flowers in White. Then thin the Smoke Grey and run some shadow lines - just enough to make the petals cup. Add a wash of Mahogany here and there for color while drawing out small "feathery" lines from the center in Smoke Grey. Stipple in centers with Cobblestone; then stipple again with a little of Mahogany to one side and underneath. Place back dots our from the Smoke Grey lines, creating stamens.

8. Using #12 Shader brush, float Morning Glory across the back of the bird and down the small center between the tail feathers. Float another line just above the wing feathers. Tip a side-load of the same brush in Midnight Blue and shade a smaller line over the back and above the wings, making the back shade larger then the wing area.

9. At the head, there are four alternating stripes in Midnight Blue and White. Begin with Midnight Blue, making your pull toward the back, and gently blend in. Then form the second Midnight Blue stripe by "feathering" it into the body. Cut-in the White stripes by "feathering" it into the Midnight Blue to the underbelly of the bird. Then "feather" some Mahogany just below the wing area.

10. Basecoat the tail in White.

11. To create the straight wing feathers by the tail, use a Shader brush (your choice of a #12 Shader or #4 Shader) loaded with Morning Glory, side-loaded with White. Slightly twist the brush to form the feather shape.

12. Tip the top and bottom of the tail feathers in Midnight Blue.

13. Basecoat the feet and the beak in Smoke Grey, then detail each in Black. Add claws.

14. Detail the entire piece in Black.