Bohan Art

Least Bittern and Female Blue Dasher: A Winter Watercolor

Matt Bohan — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:49:47 +0000

Sadly, Least Bitterns are birds that I just don’t see very often. They are somewhat uncommon, quite small, shy, and maybe even a bit sneaky, preferring to hide among the dense reeds and grasses on the shoreline. They make … Continued

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Savannah Sparrow: Transparent Watercolor & Field Notes

Matt Bohan — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:58:10 +0000

I love hearing these charming birds in the summer, and remembering their call is easy because my daughter taught me a clever little mnemonic she learned from Larkwire: “Sit, sit, sit… it’s breeeee-zy.” That works for me! I got the … Continued

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Essential Colors for Your Watercolor Paintings: Birds, Wildlife & Just About Everything Else

Matt Bohan — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:20:56 +0000

With hundreds of options available, what are the watercolor paints you actually need? This video goes through the 15 colors I find to be essential. It also highlights a few other handy pigments that save time mixing—plus three colors you … Continued

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Camouflage vs. Contrast: Challenges in Painting a Fall Tennessee Warbler

Matt Bohan — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:20:08 +0000

Despite them being relatively common in migration, it took me a while to get around to painting a Tennessee Warbler. These birds breed in Canada and pass through our yard here in Michigan for just a few weeks in the … Continued

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Painting a Bay-breasted Warbler and Its Habitat in Watercolor

Matt Bohan — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 15:35:31 +0000

Warblers are one of my favorite birds to paint. I’ve painted Bay-breasted Warblers before, but only in their spring plumage. Many warblers become incredibly drab in the fall, which makes identification tricky. In central Michigan, two species can be especially … Continued

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Capturing an Olive-sided Flycatcher in Watercolor

Matt Bohan — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:47:33 +0000

I don’t see Olive-sided Flycatchers very often here in Mid-Michigan, so spotting one is always exciting. On the rare occasions when I do see one, it’s usually perched high at the top of a bare tree, surveying the area for … Continued

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Rendering Clouds and an Eastern Kingbird in Watercolor

Matt Bohan — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:23:19 +0000

Eastern Kingbird (7×10-Inch Transparent Watercolor on Arches 140lb HP Paper) I’ve seen Eastern Kingbirds countless times over the years, but this was my first time painting one. I usually encounter them at the edges of fields where they are hunting … Continued

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Painting a Gorgeous Waterbird in Watercolor: Gray-headed Swamphen

Matt Bohan — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 18:59:52 +0000

This Gray-headed swamphen was one of my life birds from my last trip to Florida. To bird-nerds like myself, a life bird is one that you have never seen before. We get pretty excited about things like that! These birds … Continued

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Painting a Nesting Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Matt Bohan — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 13:38:54 +0000

I’ve only painted hummingbirds twice before, and both were commissioned pieces. One featured five males of different species in Arizona and the other two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. All were fun to paint, especially with those with bright metallic feathers! This bird … Continued

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Painting American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts in Watercolor

Matt Bohan — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 15:54:13 +0000

I tried a different sort of background on this watercolor. All those dead mangroves and other trees made for a somewhat surreal background for these American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts. I got a lot of photo reference for this painting … Continued

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