Five colors. One lovely cardinal.

You do not need a full box of pencils to make a page your own. A small palette can be a pleasant place to begin: fewer choices on the table, more time enjoying the shapes in front of you.

A simple cardinal palette.

Try these five colors as a starting point. They are suggestions, not instructions you have to follow.

Start with the biggest space.

Choose one large area of the bird and fill it with red. Work at a comfortable pace. A flat block of color is enough; shading and feather details are optional.

Move to the beak when you feel ready, then the face. You can finish with the leaves and branch—or save them for another afternoon. Leaving white space is a choice, too.

Make your space comfortable.

Set your page on a steady surface with enough light to see the outlines clearly. Keep the colors you want within easy reach. If you are using markers, test them and place a protective sheet behind the page.

Give yourself permission to play.

Would a golden leaf look lovely beside that red bird? Would you prefer a blue branch? Your page does not need to be a field guide. Following natural colors can be enjoyable, and so can imagining something new.

When you stop, notice one part you enjoyed. It might be a color combination, a clean curve, or simply the time you made for yourself. That is enough for today.