Wildlife Studies: The American Kestrel by Paul Burnett

Wildlife Studies: The American Kestrel by Paul Burnett

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Wildlife Studies: The American Kestrel is a step-by-step tooling and coloring study by the late Paul Burnett focused on creating a realistic American kestrel in leather. Originally produced in 2009, the lesson uses a male kestrel portrait to teach feather structure, bird anatomy, realistic texture, and layered acrylic coloring from the initial tracing through the completed carving.

A major focus of the study is learning how to tool realistic feathers. Burnett explains how feather groups flow across the head and body, how cutting angles influence the finished form, and how individual feathers can be built freehand. He also provides detailed instructions for modifying a pointed beveler into a specialized feathering tool, including diagrams showing the desired knife-edge profile. Later sections cover hair-blading, background matting, and step-by-step coloring using transparent washes, blending strokes, dry-brushing, and final highlights.

The course includes an original reference photograph, cutting layout, progressive tooling photographs, tool modification instructions, and detailed coloring examples. As with other materials in this archive, the pages are preserved close to their original production and may contain minor imperfections consistent with the source material.

These patterns are made available in partnership with the family of the late Paul Burnett. Each purchase financially contributes to his family while helping share his work with a new generation of leatherworkers, ensuring that his teaching and artistic legacy remain accessible.

  • Leatherworkers interested in realistic bird and wildlife carving
  • Makers wanting to improve feather tooling and texture
  • Craftspeople learning to combine carving with acrylic coloring
  • Intermediate leatherworkers developing pictorial and figure carving skills

The American Kestrel study is particularly useful for leatherworkers who want to understand how tool direction, texture, and color work together to create believable feathers rather than simply following a tracing pattern.

 Title: Wildlife Studies: The American Kestrel

  • Instructor: Paul Burnett
  • Publication Year: 2009
  • Format: Digital download (PDF)
  • Length: 10 pages
  • Recommended Project Size: 5 × 7 inches on 5 to 6 oz. leather
  • Includes: reference photograph, cutting layout, tooling demonstrations, feathering-tool modification instructions, progressive coloring examples
  • Topics Covered: realistic feather tooling, pointed bevelers, tool modification, hair-blading, modeling, background matting, acrylic painting, color blending and highlights

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