It's a bit difficult drawing from a photo because there's just so much detail to take in..  proportions, light aspects, scenery... and it's all right there in front of you to compare your drawing against. I don't think I've ever drawn a bird before so that was a challenge in and of itself. I loved figuring out how each feather was folded together and the patterns they form. The careful attention to detail that's required for sketching will definitely impact my ability to take in the small details of a scene/subject. Even with this bird, I was immediately drawn to the dark eye and bright yellow color and would probably have noticed this in nature, but it's doubtful that I would have picked up on the muscles in the bird's talons or the breathing hole and the bluish tints in it's beak. I've learned so much about bird anatomy just from this simple exercise.

I started a bit stressed out because I do not draw very well. After a few starts I decided to approach the drawing a more relaxed way and to really observe the photo and let the focus take me away. That was much better -I stayed present and just observed, drew and wrote notes. I am looking forward to doing more!

I feel like my drawing didn't capture the spirit of the bird as much as eye wanted. It looks like a mischievous look in the eye I didn't capture. The beak was very challenging and I erased it three times before sticking with this one. The feet also were difficult. If I hadn't been drawing I wouldn't have noticed the soft brown lines coming from the eye of the bird or the little rippled edges of the leaves and the way the light hit them. It was very relaxing. Seeing extra details would add more vividness to the pictures, giving them more life when nature journaling.

I found this very intimidating as I can't draw at all. Most of the journal example videos looked very professional and I thought - oh boy this class is too hard for me. Anyway, I went ahead and drew the bird. I felt nervous and unsure. Nothing came easily. I used the "circle" type method to try and get the body and head right but it didn't help. I persevered and ended up with a recognizable bird so that is a good start. I did not even try the feathers much. I just wanted to get a drawing that at least resembled the photo in general terms. It was great that the photo "didn't move"! I wouldn't have noticed the lovely way the feet curl around the tree branch if I had just taken a photo. Nature journaling encourages , actually demands, observing details. That is more fun than taking a photograph I think. I need to overcome my frustration that my drawings are not only not perfect, but are the opposite. And accept where I am now and that what I do now is the best I can for where I am right now. Easier said than done but a good goal.

I definitely felt a bit nervous, trying to get everything perfect, but then I remembered no one is looking at the picture except for me. Drawing the bird shape was a bit easier than filling it in. I had a hard time trying to get the patterns of the feathers into the sketch but that's definitely something I noticed more than if I were taking a picture.

Once I realized that there is not time limit, I took my time and tried to get as much detail as I could.  Doing the contour of the warbler was easiest for me but when it came to the eye and beak this was another story.  I erased my eye and beak 4 times before I was happy with it.  My distances and proportion of the eye never added up.  

Here's my Yellow Warbler. It was much easier to draw from a photo than from live observation.

I felt intimidated at first because I'm not artistic. But I'm taking this class to enjoy nature as I see it, and I feel my bird turned out o.k.; just a little longer and chubbier.:) Getting the bird's body dimensions and details was difficult for me.  I found I enjoyed drawing the leaves. Although I used no color in my drawing, I think I would not have noticed all the beautiful colors and details of the branches had I not drawn this.

I felt at ease while drawing from the picture because I knew that all the details were already captured and always there for reference. I'm not sure that any of it came easily; I had to think about every part. The part that was especially challenging was creating the varied texture on the branch. Oh, and capturing the bird's expression was tough. Had I not drawn it, I wouldn't have noticed the extra detail around the bird's eye or its nostril. Not having those details would not have a dramatic difference while journaling but having them makes it more special. 

Is this primitive? Yes! Was it a challenge? Yes! Was this a fun exercise? Yes! Do I have room for improvement? Oh double yes! :)

Once I got over the fact that my drawing wasn't going to look like a photo, I was able to relax and really take notice of the details. Finding the starting point took me a few minutes. I decided to give a faint impression of the tree so the little warbler had something to land on. The feathers were the biggest challenge. There are so many textures and patterns! I wouldn't have noticed the little smile on the bird's face if I was just looking at the photo. It was a pleasant surprise. I was also intrigued by his little feet and wanted to get them just right. It's something about how he's holding on to the branch that captivated me. This would make a big difference when journaling because I have a deeper connection to this little fella. I also want to learn more about the different feathers and their functions.

When you have a photo you have more time to draw and you can go back and look at the subject any time. There could be many details that you might have missed in the field if you aren’t trained to pay attention to certain important details right in the beginning.  When drawing you can see more color, shape and dimension .  There can also be a sense of wonder and awe along the way.

What fun!  I just grabbed my granddaughter's sketch pad, a pencil and two colored pencils... and forgot about making dinner. I loved examining the relationship of the wing to the body with the different textures and colors as I tried to draw the little bird.  I would not have noticed these components if I had just a photograph to study. 

1. I prefer drawing from photos over real life events.  It gives me the opportunity to notice so many little details I would have overlooked. 2. There are so many things I would not have noticed if I wasn't drawing it; the different types of moss/lichen on the branch, the reddish/brown feathers underneath, the perfectly circular eye, the chewed on leaf... I think nature journaling forces you to slow and pay attention to the little things.

It is fun to draw from a photo as I can zoom in for detail and the bird doesn’t move.

I was surprised that I could draw anything remotely ressembling a bird!  Drawing has always intimidated me! Photography is my hobby, but my usual focus (!) is on composing the image, etc., and many of the fine details the bird identification are lost.  I like trying to place the eye in relation to the bill, placement of feet, shape of head, etc.  It was fun!

I’m pleased my drawing looks like a bird! I felt a bit intimidated at the thought of trying to draw anything. At first I was really trying to get the shapes right but once I started focusing on the details I let go of my perfectionism (a little) and just enjoyed noticing and trying to get some of the details. I found the feet to be really tricky!

The photo allowed time to really examine the scene.

It was difficult to capture the bird's pose - the bird has such an alert, energetic presence. My rendering slopes down too much at the tail. It's dismaying to see the differences between the photo and the drawing but feel as though I have limited ability to bridge the gap. I do enjoy finding the lights and darks in an image and taking note of textures.

After taking Liz's Drawn to Birds yesterday, I immediately signed up for this class. It has already been so much fun! Drawing from the photo was definitely easier than drawing from nature. When I try to draw birds at my bird feeder, they shift and fly away so I end up drawing from a field guide. The leaves weren't too difficult, but the overall shape of the bird was challenging. Trying to determine the relative sizes of the head and body was not easy. If I had not been drawing, I probably would not have noticed the lichen, moss, and the reddish color on the bird's breast. When nature journaling, noticing these details will make my drawings so much more realistic.

I enjoyed this first exercise, especially because it forced me to slow down and to notice details I might have glanced past otherwise. For example, I noticed some of the surrounding leaves had nibbles taken from them, the specific way the warbler's feet wrapped around the branch, and the beautiful patterning on its chest, details I might not have noticed in a photograph. I found it quite difficult to match the shapes, angles, and lines of the warbler, even when I thought I saw them quite well, with my own representation on the page. I did feel okay about how some of the details turned out, but mostly I'm excited to pick up some new tools throughout this course, and to hopefully see some improvement at the end!