Artists create patterns and textures using lines and shapes.
Find a bird that will sit still, or a photo of a bird that shows lots of detail. Draw the basic shapes of the bird with your pencil. Show where your bird is-on a branch, on a nest, flying in the clouds or hiding in the leaves. Just draw the outlines of the shapes lightly with pencil. Once the outlines look how you want them, use your watercolor paints to lay a light wash of different colors.