Very hard to get the proportions right. Doesn't look anything like a warbler! But let's keep trying!

😂 I think I will look for a pencil eraser with a brush at one end. I've worn down the eraser on my Pentel a bit and see it will get more action as time goes on. Also, I will mark the time so I can see how much time is spent on sketches.

I didn´t quite know what part to start drawing first, the bird or the tree and if I would get the scale right. I was surprised how hard it was to concentrate on the little details on the tree. I may not have noticed exactly how the claws grasp onto the tree and the line of the tail and how many little details there are on the tree. I think this first exercise will make a difference for me because I think I should draw what I most want to draw first and then fill in the other details.

My colors look muddy, proportions off, I liked my drawing more, my watercolor skill disappointed me.

Well, it looks more like a yellow bird than I thought it would.  I noticed lots of people use the trick of re-doing several variations of a line, rather than get the perfect line the first try.  t looks fine like that, I am going to try to do that.

Some benefit(s)/easiest parts include not having your subject move and being allowed more time than if in nature. It is challenging to draw from a flat 2D photo b/c it is a representation of reality. I noticed all sorts of details about the position and shape of the bird and tree branch as I tried to accurately represent them in my drawing, rather than just glancing at a photo and moving on. This would certainly make a difference when journaling.

Kaia's mom Angela

Kaia age 11

I enjoyed drawing from the photo because the subject wasn't moving and it's easier to pick up details and shapes.  I thought seeing the shapes were easy, trying to figure out the light source direction and shading was a bit tricky for me.  I have never seen a yellow warbler, so drawing it will help me remember it if I ever see one.

Argh! Almost finished with my response then lost the page. Rather than repeat everything, I'll go right to what I noticed because this was a photo: The different shapes and textures of the feathers, and that one foot was not fully grasping the branch. Yes, this would be the questions I would be asking ... and perhaps with a bird in front of me, I'd get the answer through patient observation. And now that I found the edit button, I will add that I took your bird painting class a few months ago (waxwing) and learned about feather structures then!

Drawing the bird was easy from the photo.  It was not jumping around!  Capturing the background and environment is difficult.

Johana 6 years :-)

Considering that birds are almost always in motion I often reach for a camera before the binoculars so I can snap a pic then zoom in, look at specific markings, beak shape and color etc. otherwise it's just the flash of a yellow bird in the bush,  blink and it's gone.  The idea of drawing  from life is terrifying, unless maybe it's a heron!  Drawing it made me look closer at its grasp of the twig. the eye etc.  Feathers and markings are still really intimidating!

First bird  I've ever drawn like this!  I saw more colors than I expected to, and I noticed the shading of the wing, the shoulder and the back of hte head/neck.  The yellow also has different intensities, but I'm not sure how to show that.

For me drawing from the photo allowed me to take my time, I could breathe and try to relax as I drew the bird.  It was a nice challenge; I can only get better from here 😊.  Using a photo allowed me to come back and take a layered approach, first get the basic outline, and then start adding details.  If I didn’t have the photo, I wouldn’t have noticed the upside down ‘v’ over the beak, the yellow ring around the eye.  I think when drawing a live bird, I'll initially have to focus on the primary details quickly and not worry so much about the details, things like focus on the head to body ratio, what type of beak, beak-eye to head ratio (is it a downy or a hairy woodpecker?), how long is the tail.

I found this exercise so enjoyable. Drawing the photo helped me notice tiny details I would not have otherwise.  Who was munching on that leaf? Did the warbler find a tasty caterpillar on the tree? What kind of tree is this? Drawing also highlighted the incredible variation of yellows, browns and black.  It was quite a challenge to depict with a pencil! Photographs convey dimension so clearly. I am looking forward to improving drawing 3D objects and scenes as currently my drawings tend to appear quite flat.

It's easier than drawing in real life. I can take my time observing the bird before sketching it. The most challenging part was drawing the details on it's wings, but the overall figure, face, and beak was the easiest to draw. 

Drawing from a photo certainly is a lot easier than trying to catch a glimpse of a bird in nature. The advantage of a photo is that it objectively provides details of the bird which are so important in identification.  The photo is more accurate to some extent but that can change depending upon the lighting and angle of the bird, whether it is fluffed up to keep warm etc. Drawing made me pay more attention to the shape and details.

I was determined not to be afraid or intimidated, but to just "Jump right in!". Knowing where to start was a challenge, it was easier to get some detail once I got the main outline of the branches and the bird. I probably wouldn't have noticed all the different smooth and fluffy feathers, as well as all the details on the branches had I not been drawing. Would this make a difference when journaling? I suppose so, if the goal is really learn and observe what you are drawing. It allows time to ponder, leading to questions, then hopefully some answers!

The beak and the eye were the "easiest" for me, but the contouring of the feathers was difficult. The more I looked and drew, the more I noticed. For example, the ring around the eye and the detail of the beak, and the way the claws wrapped around the branch. The nature journaling process needs to be one where you can take your time, and relax and focus on the subject. 

Had I not been drawing I most likely would not have noticed the details of the branch that the warbler was perched on. The branch had so many details with the lichens, moss, leaves and the overall texture of the branch. This is not to take away from the beauty of the bird. The bird was definitely center stage.