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?

Some comfort in drawing from photo, but I notice it doesn’t feel very dynamic.  I tried drawing the underlying circle and egg shapes, then a contour drawing.  The contour drawing worked better for me since I had to look at it so carefully; with the shape approach I was more in my head.  I notice the color of the stripes on the chest through drawing, even though I wasn’t using color.

At first I was intimidated, but it was a bit easier than I thought. Drawing the various types of feathers is challenging.  wouldn't have paid as close attention to that if I was not drawing it. I also paid more attention to the various angles of the body and the negative space (learned about that in Liz's last class.) Since it was a photo, I didn't even think to write notes until I looked at the comments below. I think a photo is definitely easier for birds that don't stay still but I would love to be able to draw more quickly and capture general gestures of wildlife on the move.

I appreciate drawing from a photo because I can spend as much on details as I want. I can really pay attention to the direction and length of feathers, the light in the eye and beak and the strength and grip of the bird. I absolutely cannot accurately portray feathers - I get lost in the number and closeness of the various lengths and shapes (ugh). I think when nature journaling, I might use my experience from drawing from a photo to better understand the shape of birds I regularly see and allow the journaling to capture posture and action and the context of the garden, yard, trail, etc.

As you can see the proportions are off and values aren’t necessarily interesting to view. I was struck by the ease that one of the sample journal artists drew his birds. They were believable images. I really want to capture the essence of what I am seeing. My feelings about the subject. So much to learn and practice as I ease into another phase of life. How can I share the importance of small spider mites? Anytime I post a drawing I am afraid of what I didn’t accomplish or portray. Once it is posted it is available to the world at large for critical view.

I don't have any drawing or sketching experience, so I felt uncomfortable doing this exercise. But I'm glad I attempted it. Drawing forces you to look at more details than if you were just looking at a photo and it improves your observational skills. In areas in which your drawing skills are weak, you can write what feature you were trying to portray. On the other hand, photos are 3D and more lifelike looking. Nature journaling feels like a good way to pique your interests in the natural world.

I was quite nervous about drawing. I've never considered myself good at discerning perspective, and it took me several tries to get the size of the head in proportion to the rest of the body. The result is acceptable, but I still feel dissatisfied with my ability to really judge the proportions or perspective correctly. However, without drawing the image, I would have been less likely to notice the bird was actually facing away from me, turning back to look. I might not have noticed the way the moss clings to the twigs, or the way the fluff of the breast extends over the legs. I wouldn't have noticed some of the leaves have been chewed on by something, and the way the toes extend below the twig. Drawing gives me a chance to ponder the details and "see" more clearly, even if the result of my drawing isn't quite as detailed or clear as the photo.

Drawing from a photo lets me go back and forth a lot to try to get the lines right. Nothing came easily. Getting the proportions right was difficult. I made a pencil sketch  and it's hard to get the shadings right. I paid  attention to more details  than I would have  had I  just looked at the photo. Yes, drawing could make a huge difference to  my observational skills

1) I like drawing from a photo.  The bird doesn't move and I can get posture and proportion better.  I can erase and correct.  I'm still working on the need to get an "A" on the test.  I found the wings to be really challenging.  How much detail to put in and how to draw what i was really seeing. 2) I didn't notice all the lichen and interesting stuff going on on the limb until I started trying to draw it. This definitely would make a difference in nature journaling.  I guess there's always a decision about where to stop and what details to put in.

It went better than I thought it would! I was very nervous and had to get over my innate need to get an "A" on every test -- this wasn't even a test! It was nice to work from a photo, because the subject was standing still. It was nice to be able see every detail. Working just in pencil, it was hard to capture the difference between shadows and actual black or brown feathers. If I had not had to draw the bird, I don't think I would have been so aware that certain feathers were very sharp and straight, and others more soft and fluffy. It was hard to know when to stop.

1. I think drawings have a more personal advantage over photos. There's more effort and emotion put into them, and the artist can add their own personal touches and interpretation. The advantage photos have over drawings however is that they're more realistic, and they can capture the moment perfectly. 2. Drawing from the photo was a lot of fun. The most difficult part for me was getting the legs and feet right. I have always struggled with this when depicting birds. I hope that I can improve by the end of this course. 3. If I wasn't asked to draw this Warbler, I wouldn't have noticed the touches of yellow on its feet. It wouldn't make a huge difference in nature journaling, but if it was a more distinct characteristic on the bird ex.(the yellow feet of the Snowy Egret) than it would make a bigger difference.

Sorry I inserted two images by mistake. Getting used to how this works! I find it easier to draw from a picture rather than in real time. Likely because that is how I drew in the past and the three dimensional aspect is different from a picture. I look forward to learning how to draw in the field. I find the proportions and the detail difficult. I enjoyed examining the bird and the leaves, the variations of color and shading. I would like to learn how to draw quick and simple sketches with enough detail to identify species later on. Looking forward to more lessons!