Birdtober 2025: 31 Watercolor Birds

Julie Bishop
5 days ago
2 min read

Illustration of a California Condor with pink and black feathers. Background is white with black splatters.

Birdtober 2025 was a joyful challenge. I painted a new bird every day, exploring color, texture, and personality. This was my second year participating, and I painted all the birds in watercolor — except for one special bird.

Birdtober is an annual, month-long art challenge that takes place every October. It’s the one time of year I push my other art projects aside. I get to learn about bird species from around the world while connecting with a global community of artists. It’s also a wonderful way to build a consistent art habit. This year, I connected with an artist in Germany, and we encouraged each other along the way. It was exciting and exhausting at the same time.

Each piece took about 2–3 hours — longer than last year. The official prompt list comes out a few weeks early, and after last year’s experience, I decided to start two days ahead, just in case life got in the way. I felt like I was cheating… until I got sick and was very grateful to still be on track! Being part of a creative community is incredibly motivating, as long as you don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself. There’s even a small incentive — free stickers for those who complete all 31 days (while supplies last). I’m happy to report I earned mine!

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/16a18e_b2a93d33948d4084befd7eee9cc2970e/720p/mp4/file.mp4

I began each piece with an HB pencil sketch, followed by watercolor. This year took longer because I added a new favorite supply: Pitt pastel pencils. I layered pastel over watercolor for tiny details and used a charcoal pencil to deepen the eyes. The final highlight — that tiny white spark in the eye — was added with either white pastel or a Sakura Gelly Roll pen.

The Northern Waterthrush was the one bird created almost entirely with pastel pencils (except the background). I was still learning this medium, but something about this bird felt perfect for a full pastel approach. If you’re a bird nerd like me, you might enjoy this: despite its name, the waterthrush is actually part of the warbler family, not the thrush family! The species is also considered sexually monochromatic, meaning males and females look alike — so I can’t tell which one I painted.

Materials I Used

Brushes:

Silver Black Velvet 3000S #10 — the pointed tip is phenomenal for details
Princeton Select ½” Oval Mop — holds a beautiful amount of water for washes
Artist’s Loft Vienna #4 Round — used mostly for mixing colors
For more on the brushes I love — and why I think cheaper ones can sometimes be the best — check out my post “My Favorite Brushes Are the Cheapest.”