I liked drawing from the photo. It gave me the opportunity to notice details I probably wouldn't have, such as the rufus stripes on the chest and the gray tones on the body. The bird wasn't going to fly away either. And when I was drawing, it gave me time to see other details such as the lichen on the branch.

I decided to keep my first Nature Journal entry just in pencil as I am not experienced in drawing or colouring.  I had a lot of fun drawing from a photo as I could focus on as many or as little details as I wanted without the added pressure of the subject flying off.  I am usually behind a camera photographing birds so it was a super experience to take my interest in birds and nature in a new direction.  I did give myself a timeframe to complete this piece though as I do have a tendency to perfectionism and that´s not what journaling is about.  I´m hoping to add some colour to my next page and look forward to trying out lots of new to me techniques.

It was very difficult to do this, but at least I dared.

Keen observation is required to do sketchings. It will help in identifying the species more easily in the field. Sketching from the photo is easier than from the field observation. Sketching from the photos are more clear and specific.

1. I enjoyed drawing from the photo. Capturing the angle of the head and look of the eye was challenging; the body was easier. 2. Yes, I noticed the subtle colors when drawing, the olive green wings and brown stripes on the breast of the bird. Since there are many types of warblers, this attention would help differentiate them. It was fun to do some quick research on their migration patterns and habitats, diet, nesting behavior. I can't wait to see them in the Midwest this spring when I visit.

1. I enjoyed drawing from the photo because the subject wasn't moving and was in full HD. It also allowed me to focus on details of the bird and environment that I likely wouldn't have noticed if I was drawing in the field. It was challenging to decide what to include and omit for detail and clarity of the sketch. 2. I probably wouldn't have noticed some of the color difference in the feathers if I was in the field like the darker orange on the chest or the environmental details of where the bird was perched because it is little and moves pretty quickly. The photo  allowed me to draw the framework of the composition then move to the bird and make a few small corrections as the drawing developed.

I am working on a daily art practice this year. Just completed a 30 day -10 min day-drawing challenge. Want to work on doing more daily life journaling. First sketched and then used watercolors and watercolor pencils. Really enjoyed Liz on introductory email, awhile back, and excited to take this course from her.

1. I enjoyed drawing from the photo - I was able to sketch out the bird, branches and leaves with a pencil first. I feel like the bird was more or less okay, but the body proportions weren't quite right. I really struggled with the beak, of all things. The leaves and branches look pretty good, in my opinion. I tried coloring it with watercolors, which is new to me. I realize that the colors will bleed if I add too much at once. I struggled with getting the background "wash" the way I wanted it. 2. I probably wouldn't have noticed the lichen on the branch. Or the way some of the wing and tail feathers are outlined in black. 3. Yes, looking at the photo allowed me to see detail I might otherwise have missed.

1. At first, i was very nervous about "messing" up. Once i realized how easy it was to erase an error and just keep trying 'til i felt like i had the correct angles it became much more fun and exciting. I also quickly realized not to draw the branch and then draw the warbler on top, but to draw the warbler and add the branch later. 2. I wouldn't have noticed the tiny bits of yellow between the primaries if I had not been sketching this.  Or the details of where the primaries are in relation to the rump.

Drawing from a photo, was equal parts comforting and distressing.  I enjoyed it because I could refer to the photo and use it as a guide. However, it is a near-perfect representation of the bird so it was difficult to compare my drawing to it. I found myself needing to control my self-talk and remind myself that my drawing was not supposed to look like a photograph.   Some of the things that were challenging for me were getting the proportions correct and the positioning or shape of the beak and eyes.   Something that I might have missed had I not been asked to draw the photograph is the way the bird's claws curved around the branch. More specifically how the claws on the right foot did not fully grasp the branch.   Personally, I find sketching in the field more of a challenge because of how quickly birds move, I generally will start with a general outline and then have to refer to a photo to add detail. That being said,  I have found that when I am trying to record my observations it makes me more aware of my surroundings, and focused on not only things such as the way light plays off of the feathers as the bird moves about that is just not the same in a still frame.

• Drawing from photos is something I’ve got quite used to over the past few months. I’ve been doing it regularly, and I’ve been using my own photos (birds and nature views). Drawing from the photo felt comfortable per se. The most challenging part was, as always, to get the bird’s proportions right. I’m always afraid I might think I got it right only to realise, halfway through the drawing and after adding lots of details, that the head is too small or the body too large. There’s also something unique about a bird’s expression. It’s something unique that can’t be easily tied to one specific feature, but somehow comes out of the drawing as a whole and really conveys the essence of the subject.
• The details in the warbler’s plumage: the brownish stripes on the breast, the darker shade of greyish on the mantle - more in general, the richness in hues, which may not stand out at first glance, since the brightness of the yellow hits the eye first.
• I think it would, at first at least, because with ‘live subjects’ like birds the subject might/would not stick around for as long as I need them to. As for more ‘static subjects’ like a flower or a view, I can imagine the outdoor experience would add a lot of sensory richness to it because it’d make me more alert and reactive to my surroundings.

Drawing from a photo was challenging ….because it looks perfect…easier than a real bird in the wild …it does not stay still

I enjoyed this exercise.  Drawing the branch and leaves was fairly easy. I found it challenging to get the shape of the warbler right, the shape of the beak and the positioning of the eye.  I didn't notice the mosses growing on the branch before drawing it.  Things like this add nice detail to nature journaling.

1. A still photo meant I was able to capture the shading without having to think for myself, and I could copy the details. I am not used to watercolours which is why I wanted to try. I found the belly of the bird challenging, getting the stripes right with the paint, also the leaves, but decided it didn't matter if they weren't quite like the photo. I also adjusted the ratio of the branches to fit the page. I liked how the branches came out, even though the lichen was not detailed. One challenge was my cat standing on it which I wouldn't have in the field, but it took me 90 minutes which might be a bit too long for journalling outdoors. 2. Noticing all of the colours and shading in the twigs. It could make a difference nature journalling because it highlighted all of the lichen on the branches. If I was really interested in the lichen though I would have to pay attention to make that more detailed, but here felt the bird was the main focus. I was scared to try the background, I worried I would ruin it, but for nature journalling a plain background isn't important, unless trying to capture the feel of the habitat.

1. Enjoyed drawing from the photo - lots of time to see details. Sort of got shape of bird, but not position and slight tilt of head toward camera.  2.Would not have noticed different lengths/shapes of feathers on wing and variations in color from green/yellow/rust. Using photo made me “overwork” the image. No time for that when observing in nature.

1. I felt confident going into it as I used to do this as a kid with pictures of birds and fish, however, my ability to recreate nature images has diminished over time. 2. I was thinking about what kind of tree the warbler was perched on as I was asked to draw it, and I don't know if I would have thought about it that much. one thing that really stood out was the imperfection of nature on the leaves as they have the brown spots, which is also the beauty of it.I believe this will make a difference because it slowed me down to take in the whole image rather than the subject, the warbler.

I liked drawing from the photo because the bird is frozen in time so it gives you a chance to look more closely and notice things you wouldn’t normally be able to see like: the circle around it’s eye, the rust coloring (not black like I thought initially) of the streaks on its underside, and that pretty lichen (?) on the branches. One thing I struggled with was feeling overwhelmed by all the details. I wasn’t sure how to filter those details and know what was important to focus on in trying to represent the warbler accurately. I was also unsure how to capture the warbler in my mark making and didn’t feel confident in adding color. I’m looking forward to learning all of this going forward though! This was fun!

This did feel intimidating since I haven't done drawing in a number of years.  I appreciated so many more details by doing this drawing.  Especially when I added color... my eye noticed so much more.

1) I felt intimidated to just jump in and draw without any direction. But, upon completion, it felt rewarding. 2) I think there were many things I would not have noticed. In particular, the bird seemed to have layers of feathers of different lengths. I did not see that at first. The stick has moss that I may not have noticed. The leaves had small but distinct ridges which upon first glance were not obvious to me. 3) Yes, focusing on the details adds to the story. A bird perched on a branch expands to "A bird is perched on a branch that has moss growing in various places. There is evidence of other life also occupying this space as several of leaves have been partially eaten...."