1. Peacock outline drawing

- Transfer the printable outline onto watercolour paper or draw the peacock freehand

- Check the proportions of the body, neck, head, and tail feathers before colouring

- Lightly refine any areas that need adjusting

2. Tail feather drawing

- Apply Lemon Yellow to the tail feathers

- Dip a hog bristle brush in water and soften the colour slightly

- Scribble pastel onto scrap paper to create a mixing palette

- Lift colour from the palette with a wet brush to create a soft yellow wash

- Paint the wash through the centre of the composition

3. Background painting

- Use any excess moisture on the page to flick colour into the background

- Create loose splashes and marks for a more expressive look

- Keep the effects light and playful

4. Feather colouring

- Add Sky Blue to the centre of each tail feather while the paper is still damp

- Blend the colour gently with a brush

- Layer greens throughout the feathers to build depth and variation

- Continue strengthening colours as needed

5. Peacock face and body

- Block in the beak using Peach pastel

- Add Titanium White over the top for highlights

- Blend the colours together using a paper blender

- Soften some of the green areas with a damp brush

- Add dark blue to the centre of each eye pattern in the tail feathers

- Use small strokes to define the feathers around the head

- Layer Azure into the feathers around the eye area

6. Neck and chest

- Layer Green across the neck and chest

- Add Sky Blue over the top to create colour variation

- Introduce Titanium White to brighten selected feathers

- Soften some edges with water while preserving texture elsewhere

7. Peacock eye

- If needed, gently scrape away colour using a clay tool to make corrections

- Paint the eye using Burnt Umber as the base colour

- Add Black for the pupil and a small amount of white for a highlight

- Finish with black detailing around the eye for definition

8. Final feather details

- Add the head crest using Sky Blue and Blue

- Add touches of Orange into the tail feathers to create extra depth

- Continue layering greens and blues to strengthen contrast

- Refine feather textures with additional strokes where needed

- Add final Titanium White highlights throughout the artwork