I enjoyed it, since the bird was sitting still. Although I found it slightly intimidating at first, I did enjoy the overall experience. Getting the proportions right is something I need to work on. Also the slight angle of the head was challenging. 2) Yes if I would not have noticed the different colours of the branches, or the different colours in stripes on the chest of the Warbler. I hope to improve my drawing skills when nature journaling  

1. How did you feel about drawing from the photo? Good.  It gave me lots of time to observe the bird. 2. What came easily and what was challenging? The wing was challenging. The head was easier--less detail. 3. Was there anything in the photo that you might not have noticed if you weren’t asked to draw it? Would this make a difference when nature journaling?  I don't think I would have noticed all the black lines in the wing and the detail of the stripes on its chest. I guess the difference would depend on the purpose of the journal entry.

I love trying to draw/paint from a good photo like this.  I think I got the form down pretty well.  The proportions may be off a little, but not too bad.  I felt like it wasn't as vibrant as I wanted it to be so I added a second darker color to the background for added contrast.

1.  I was very intimated by the process.  So much that I put it off for days.  But once I started I felt very good.  I realized that I need to develop my patience and slow down.  2.  Yes, the wings.  Yes absolutely.

1. It was fun and interesting to draw from the photo. I noticed right away that preparing to draw/paint made me look much more closely at the details of the bird. The general shape was easy but capturing the nuances is hard. The particular way the bird is holding his head and body is hard to capture. 2. There is lots in the photo I would not have noticed, like the streaks of red on the breast and how some of the wing and tail feathers are primarily black. I would like to learn how to capture some of these important details without getting too hung up on trying to produce a ‘technical drawing’ of whatever I am seeing.

1. Drawing from the photo was fun! The fact the bird is sitting still makes it easier. When drawing from a photo the challenge is not experiencing the habitat. 2. I didn't see the moss on the sticks until we had to look closer to make the artwork. And yes, that makes a difference with nature journaling for sure.  

1. Drawing from photos is my comfort zone. Yet, in this particular pic, it was hard for me to catch the proportions/shape of the bird. 2. The proportion of the head to the body, and the tail to the body. Yes, the shape is very important for nature journaling, because it is part of the identification process.

This was tricky for me but I will say it’s a lot easier when the bird isn’t moving lol. Excited to see how I improve

1. At the beggining I felt it was really difficult, I thought the backgruond was easier to start on. 2. A lot of details in colors, shapes, shadows, etc.

sketching created a type of investment into the process.

1. Drawing from a photo has the clear advantage of the stillness of the subject. I can't imagine being able to capture the tiny claws of a warbler from life. I can't say any of it came easily, but I enjoyed the process of trying. The flatness of the near-consistent yellow of the bird made indicating any kind of contour -- already a challenge -- even harder. 2. Even though I am a "plant person" I spent some time thinking about what kind of twig this was, even though I didn't try to draw it. Considering the context of where the subject is (and where I am) will be an interesting aspect of nature journaling, I think.

My first attemt was in charcoal pencil, this one is in graphite pencil. Much room for improvement, and I look forward to getting better. 

It's been years since I've drawn and seems I'm more free-form in my later years, but it was fun and I can see how much I can improve. Very exciting!

As an avid birder, the challenge is getting the right proportions on a bird I know very well.  I am keen to learn to illustrate what I see rather than what I know to be true from lots of experience observing.  I have a long way to go, excited for this challenge.

Drawing from photo was good. I noticed a lot of details I wouldn’t ordinarily see.

1. Was very thankful the image wasn't moving! The biggest challenge was proportion. 2. The beak shape, especially the curve at the tip. Helps to understand a warbler beak a little better. Yes, this will help journaling!

At first I was nervous about getting the drawing “just right”, but then I relaxed and just did my best to notice curves and small shapes and put them together. My goal for this class is to learn to observe more in nature and make a record for myself of what I saw.  So I need to be nice to myself and have fun. I had a hard time getting the shape of the head and beak to look natural, but I feel good about what I got in the end.  I might not have noticed the texture of the bark and mosses.  I think the branch, leaves, and moss all help tell the story.

I appreciated drawing from a photo because it didn't move.  When I looked at it on my phone I noticed the colors, and when I expanded it on my desktop computer, I was amazed at the details.  In my brain, I think of feathers one way, but in the photo, you see how many different textures and colors are really present.  I was also surprised by the size of the bird's claws - I don't think I would have noticed that if not for the photo.  Until I read other's comments, I wasn't really paying attention to the context - the branch.  I usually watch birds at my feeders, but I'm sure that where this bird is perched is significant - hence, the importance of noting PLACE in my journaling.

My first sketch...I spent about 25 minutes. I feel that the detail and shading are most challenging. Also getting the proportions right. It's interesting how a slight variation in head shape and beak length will change the bird completely. My first attempt is very elementary and I look forward to improvement.

Water colors are a lesser-used medium for me. I found myslef applying the color as I would with an acrylic and that was problematic. I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful detail in the feathers. All in all the end product was not too bad but I definately have tons of room to grow .

It appears easy to see the bird, the branches and leaves. I did use the round ball approach, perhaps easier to see as it was "still".  I expect the detail would be quite different in the field, learning what to note and what to omit may be a challenge?