Painting | Bird Life with Mellissa Read-Devine
Course Overview
Join Mellissa Read-Devine for a dynamic 3-hour workshop, open to all skill levels. You’ll have everything you need provided, including a 30cmx30cm canvas, or you can bring your own materials if you prefer. In this session, you'll get the chance to paint your favourite bird—whether it’s a fairy wren, galah, parrot, or cockatoo—while infusing your artwork with personality and charm. Mellissa will guide you through simplifying shapes, keeping colours bold and vibrant, and mastering techniques in color mixing and composition. Well-known for her impressionistic style, Mellissa has received many awards, with her work featured in galleries and private collections. Her workshops are in high demand, so be sure to enrol early!
Is this course right for me?
This class is aimed at beginners as well as those with more experience.
Materials
Materials for this workshop will be provided.
If you want to bring your own this is what Melissa recommends:
- 1x stretched canvas 30x30cm
- Mellissa would suggest that you seal your canvas with at least one coat of gesso before class to save time.
- Acrylic paint - Mellissa uses mainly Matisse Structure, but you can bring what you have so long as it is artist quality. Note: cheap paints from a discount store will not work as they do not have the pigment and don't mix well.
This is my preferred colour palette:
- White
- Naples Yellow
- 2 different yellows (warm and a cool)
- Cadmium red or equivalent
- 1 of the following: Alizarin, Magenta, Red Violet or Rose Madder
- 1 of the following: Cerulean Blue, Cobalt Teal/aqua, Cobalt Blue
- Ultramarine or Pthalo Blue
- 2 of your favourite complementary colours – purple/orange/bright green
Brushes
- Synthetic preferred, not too soft – filbert, bright/flat or round in assorted sizes eg. 12/10/8/6 - larger ones if you are working big
- Small brush for detail
- Old round brush approx size 10/12
- Larger brushes – eg cheap hake or small painter's brushes for backgrounds
Other items
- Water spray
- Palette knife (for mixing paint)
- Plastic card eg. old Library card for scraping or scumbling.
- Palette – the flatter the better, white plastic plates are good.
- Rags
- Apron
- Image references/photos at least A4.
- Paper & soft pencil/charcoal for sketches