1. I am not managing my materials well in the field, I am pretty much a kit explosion.  My watercolours come in tubes so that doesn't help.  Having said that, I am enjoying the process.

Getting deep colors with lots of value was challenging, but repeated layering (and drying time between layers!) helped a lot. I also used a "stippling" technique with points of color on the tip of the brush very useful. Initial sketch and watercolor painting based on recent cover of Birds & Blooms.

I painted this from a photo on the Birdwatchers of NH Facebook page.  Still working on balancing values but progress.  I attempted using white pencil for some feather features some show up but not all.  I had fun with this and am happy with the eye details. The bird is a White Throated Sparrow.

This has been a challenging attempt to draw and paint a female cardinal.  I used  mainly wet on dry technique in most of this  picture with layering of color in the body. Used some dry brush on the branches and layering over them.  I tried to create the shape by varying light wash on body .  

I picked a picture of a tufted titmouse from a magazine; this was different for me as I am used to using regular watercolor brushes and take my time and usually would take me at least a month to paint a detailed picture. I went outside my boundaries and did this in 3 days. so it is not very good, but okay.

I haven't done anything in the field yet. But here's my first line and wash from a reference photo that I took from my bird feeder. I struggle with not worrying about every detail and trying to make it look photo realistic. Although I enjoy working that way, for my field journal I want to keep things more simple and loose. One effect I want to achieve is keeping the focus/ detail/ colors on the main subject with the light wash and sketchy surroundings. I definitely have room for improvement, but for now I'm happy with my first try.

My attempt at a Yucatan Vireo (Vireo magister) based on a photo on the BOW account for the species. I often encountered this species while conducting fieldwork for my master's thesis, studying the Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris) in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve and on Isla Cozumel. I even found a few nests, which formed the basis of a manuscript that I just submitted. Working on that manuscript and thinking about vireos made me want to try painting one, and this piece is the result. This sketch/portrait is the first time I've produced something in color that I was pretty proud of. For a long time, I've found making art in color daunting, probably because I didn't have the patience to experiment more and find the exact effect I wanted. I always dislike the resulting texture of colored pencils and never wanted the mess of other painting media. Liz's art and this class have shown me the media I was missing: watercolor. I still want to refine some techniques and pick up more tricks of the trade, and I'm looking forward to tackling more projects. I have my eyes set on a Greater Ani group portrait in the near future :) Thanks, Liz!

This is from a photo.  I have enjoyed this class.  I hope to do field sketching when spring arrives and I can get outside to sketch.  Also hoping to improve my watercolor painting.  And sketching birds which I enjoy doing.

I did this from a photo since I was painting a 5am before the sun came out, it’s not super accurate and I ran out of time for more detail.  I did the left half of this scene.

Getting outside.  How to add white lacy rime frosted branches in front of dark trees?

Feathers are difficult!  And, overworking is a problem.  I am using the 2020 Cornell bird calendar for reference photos.

I copied this painting from a photo and used the wet on dry technique. (For the background I used wet on wet).

I love and see amazing sunsets and sunrises...now I have to practice to get those colors right! My first watercolor painting. I like how it feels to let go and just paint even if it's not a work of art - it's my work of art :-)

1. To help have less stuff to manage when in the field, I tried putting the paper towel to dry my brushes in the upper hinged section of my paint box. I used that trick of making a pencilled frame for my painting on a single page, using the edges outside the frame to test the colours. I also found it helpful to have two waterbrushes, one wet and one dry, as when  I tried to use a dry technique after a wet one with just one brush, the bristles didn't dry enough, even without squeezing the body of the brush. 2. I think I have got too focussed on the drawing/painting and have forgotten about the recording/questioning side of my observations! Will need to leave more room too. 3. These are my first watercolours; a tomtit from Ulva Island and my local beach, Butterfield's Beach on Stewart Island, New Zealand. I have a long way to go but wouldn't have thought I could do anything like this so pretty excited!  

I'm really trying to pay attention to proportion, value, and negative space.  I'm pleased with how my pencil sketch of this Eastern Bluebird came out, though I can see the bird's eye needs to be bigger.  I'm going to try to sketch it again more loosely so I can add color.  This drawing is from a photo I took yesterday when five bluebirds appeared at my deck feeders.  Such a treat!  Because it's cold and snowy I'm doing a lot of drawing from the photos I take - and then I research/add notes about my subjects.  What a great way to learn!

I bought a little fold up tripod chair that fits into my tote bag, along with my materials.  I have a large leather pencil case for my pencil/eraser and it fits the watercolour set nicely as well!  I also have on hand my phone and binoculars, and some herbal tea :).  I use the tote on my lap to raise my sketchbook, and it all works nicely. Adding colour helps you observe even more!  When doing this landscape below, I was noticing how the reflection was much darker, and I imagined that the images become sharper and more colourful if the lighting is brighter.  I wondered about humidity, and atmosphere. Its winter here now in Ottawa so my drawings and paintings will most likely be from computer images until spring....but I'm definately building skills regardless. 

Now that I see my photo, I can tell that my water color needs much more pigment. The shades should really all be darker. I seem to always have little droplets at the end of my brush strokes, so I think I have too much water in my pigment. Perhaps I squeeze as I paint, releasing more water from my brush! Also, there is no black in my pallet, so I tried to color a big black spot with a black water color pencil and then add water to it, but the best it gives me is a dark gray. Hard to do the mask of a waxwing with no black :( And again, too much water on the red of the wing. also, I did not do the eye yet - waiting to get some real black!

yesterday I drew & painted my Northern Flicker from a photo I took a few days ago. I enjoyed using some purple wash for shadowing on the bird’s chest. I realized how right Liz was about getting the bird’s eye right. I found the wrong location or size of the eye really detracts from a drawing so it was worth erasing & trying several times.

I tried to recreate a sunrise landscape of Mt. Rainier I took yesterday. Crows often join me.  I included 2 more crow poses from other photos in the sequence. The photo scene generated a lot of energy I tried to capture. I’m overall happy with the composition, colors & remembering to add a blue wash at the end.  I’m becoming more comfortable using a water brush.  I can take my little journal, tiny paint kit & what I need anywhere I go meaning I can’t wait to take them backpacking. This class has taught me so much about painting & drawing, especially birds.  

I am challenged when I go into the field to sketch and paint.  I over pack just in case I want other equipment.  I have a small field kit for just painting, but, I have a bag with all the possible equipment I may want depending on how far I will be walking to get to the location.  if I can paint from the car, I have a chair, I usually like to have my camera, cell phone, binoculars, water, and snacks, in addition my sketch pad and paints.  I usually make the choice between my painting/sketching or photography and birding.  It takes effort to focus on a composition in the field, but I do like making notes.  My journaling will most likely be worked as a memory project where I will develop a theme and use a combination of all the material I have done on site.  I have attached 2 paintings using my photographs and 1 of a landscape on site. Pat