Phoenix In Its Nest Made Of Golden Branches Coloring Page

A round cheerful phoenix sits in a nest that takes up the bottom half of this sheet, and the nest is much more interesting than you would expect. It is woven from about thirty separate branches that cross over and under each other in a wide bowl, and every one is drawn as its own open shape, so the weave can be colored strand by strand in alternating tones. Two bare boughs rise on either side of it like arms, each ending in a few short forks. The bird itself is drawn simply: a smooth rounded body, one folded wing with three long feathers, a crest of two curved plumes on its head, a triangular beak and a single round eye. Short tufts of nesting material poke up around its feet. Nothing on the page is filled in solid, which is a change from most phoenix sheets, so the whole thing stays light. Try browns for the branches and a hot color for the bird. The contrast between the plain body and the woven nest below is what makes the composition work.