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

          I started using a light wash of pink that I thought I would overpaint with swashes of darker color to get highlights on head.  Same as back of bird only I used a teal.  I kept darkening the teal as the light wash didn't work.  I couldn't manage to get the effect I wanted so I started using thin brushstrokes (feathers) in dark red and black.  It seemed to work but it was not what I wanted.  I also went back over the head with white thin strokes for highlights.  Again, not what I had hoped to do.

My landscape was from the middle of the lake.  I took a picture and painted it later.  I am not sure what caused all the circles but am guessing it was water on the camera lens.  Again I am still struggling with the water colors.  I left the white white but needed a few white highlights and could not get them.

Went to Balboa Park and sketched the Cabrillo Bridge with the San Diego Tower.  Clouds in the sky, 70*, Light breeze.  I carry my supplies in a back pack in a ziplock bag.  I usually have a heavy sheet of plastic to sit on if there isn't a bench or other perch. This was fun to do.  Took a little over an hour to do.  

Managing my materials is no problem.  While my husband fishes I sit and sketch so I have a bag ready to go at the drop of a hat.  Now I just need to include my paints.  The sketching is going really well. I feel I have really improved.  sketch of the stellarjay turned out so good and then I started painting.  Watercolors are really frustrating me.  I cannot get the colors write and I cannot paint in the details.  I gave up after trying multiple times for detail.  I like the facial expression but the rest ...I give up.

Painting from a photo exercise--I used layering of colors.  I found this technique useful but time consuming. Its hard to wait to get to the next color. I think you would definitely need  a photo to complete in the field journaling if you want to be detailed.  I enjoyed this exercise but don't always have the time it takes....

It is very useful to work small and leave enough space to test the colors

This is my practice using my own reference photo of a Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher. This is one of my first birds using only watercolor and I erase the pencil lines.  I test the colors before aplying them on the bird.

This was my watercolor practice from a reference photo. Overall I am happy with it, had problems with the beak, but the eye turned out pretty good. I am not at present able to go much beyond the backyard (gearing up for knee surgery), so haven't put together my field supplies but really appreciate all the hints and ideas.

I’m coming back to this lesson and this work with entry(ies), but this is my attempt at building up 3D form through color and shading while using reference images. This snow bird (Arctic White Ptarmigan) seemed like an obvious choice to try to make standout through subtle shading and minimum coloring.

Beginning to work with color provides all new challenges plus, also, new fun.

Two common German birds!

Material management, well lets just say I currently have a lot of sand in my pallet. I have a zip bag that I keep my field sketching supplies that allows me to quickly take my supplies for a bike ride or a weekend getaway. In the bag is : a jar to hold my erasers,  a brush holders that holds my brushes and pencils,and pens. The lose in my bag is some was-hie tape. Then I have a small on the go watercolor pad my husbands makes with 300lb hot press.

This being my first landscape in color it was a task i used a complimentary colors.

Here's my practice from a reference photo of a Blue Jay.  I like the head and neck which took a lot of layering to get right.

Today I didn't have the time to go to some of my favorite observation/journaling spots. This is a Japanese maple in my back yard, and a place I love to sit. This particular tree has led me to many questions about tree structure, functions, patterns, etc.

Did this from  a photo I took while out hiking.   I found the thistle difficult to get the colour accurate and the spikes were challenging.    I’ve never used water colour before, I really enjoyed it.      I’m happy with how the bumble turned out.