Painting a Northern Cardinal

I love those BYOB Painting classes that are popping up all over the place.  There is one that I go to frequently with a friend of mine.  A few weeks ago, we went to paint a Northern Cardinal.  Here is the progression of the painting.

First we drew an outline of the bird on the canvas.

Doesn't look like much does it?  Well, I wasn't too sure if was going to be much either.  

We then started painting the background.

So now I have started working on the background.  It is starting to look a little like something, but I still have my doubts about this painting.  

Okay, starting on the bird and now I am thinking I am going to hide this picture under the bed.  LOL!  But then things start to look a little better as we add some different colors.

This is looking a little better.  Then we start adding the branch and pine needles.  When we are all done, I finally feel like I have a picture that I am proud of.  Here is the final picture.

I just love these places because you can be so far from a good painting, and then it all comes together in the end.  Hope you like my Northern Cardinal.

Hugs, Meg