Choose the following marker colors for each of the bird’s body parts: Metallic Mauve (neck), Metallic Blue (tail and wings), and Metallic Aqua (head and chest). Shake the closed markers to distribute the paint. Take off the caps and depress the nibs 2–3 times to saturate each before using.

Begin by filling in the neck portion with the Mauve marker. You can draw directly over the white reference lines as you work, taking the time to further accentuate the shape. Also consider letting some of the black from the surface show through to add visual interest. Play with marking in small semi-circle shapes to mimic how the bird’s feathers lay against its body.

Continue with filling in the bird’s tail, wings and head. Allow yourself the freedom to alter contours as you build structure to the shapes.

Finally, add a black dot for the eye.

Let your imagination lead you when crafting the world around your subject.

You can draw in a flower where it hovers and sips its nectar. Adding other natural elements such as buds, vines, leaves, etc. create a whimsical home for your hummingbird and tie the composition together.

Experiment with loose organic lines and shapes to make the scene your own.