Nature Journaling and Field Sketching

Ines (7 years old): I felt great. I felt like a great artist.

This exercise was a good pre-assessment. It wasn't easy for me. It doesn't feel authentic to draw from a 2-dimensional photo. But yes, I did notice details of the bird that I wouldn't have if I wasn't trying to draw it. What I noticed were all the little stripes in the bird's plumage. On the breast there were all these light brown streaks. On top there were black streaks, and one area looked a bit greenish. Before, all I noticed was bright yellow. It's still yellow, but not crayon-box pure yellow. I wouldn't see this detail in the field, so it was helpful to draw from the photo.

1. How did you feel about drawing from the photo? What came easily and what was challenging? I felt great drawing from the photo. When I draw, I prefer photographs or still images to draw from because I can take my time and really study and take in detail. The head shape, beak placement and some detailing was a bit challenging, but I found the rest to be easier. The branches and leaves came the most easily. I also found that I was very nervous to add color! I'm not good with watercolors and was worried I'd ruin the sketch. 2. 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 the 3 individual toes curled on one of the warblers feet. this would make a big difference  when nature journaling because it gives you more data to take note of.

I was really nervous to begin and once I started I became lost in it. I spend most of my free time photographing all nature and so drawing from a still picture was much easier than in the field.

As I began drawing from the photo, I greatly appreciated that this wonderful little bird was not moving.  It gave me a chance to look carefully at the detail (the varied colors – usually I would just note “a yellow bird” –but now I noted the brown streaks on its breast.  Also the different kinds of feathers overlapping. And the details of the twig and the moss/lichen).  The actual drawing was a challenge….it has been a while since I have done any drawing – figuring out proportions and angles, but the more I sketched, the more I enjoyed it!  In fact it was a very relaxing exercise.  As I progress, I hope to experiment more with color. The advantage of drawing over photographing is that you spend more time actually looking at the detail of the subject.  Having just completed a digital photography course I understand the detail of getting the correct light, aperture speed, focus, etc.  Although you focus on the subject in terms of composition, you do not zero in on the detail.   I think in nature journaling I may find it difficult to draw the detail since the subject may be moving, but instead I may spend more time observing the behavior of the bird, or the environment – in fact a combination of photos and drawing on the spot may be a nice compromise.  The advantage of journaling is observing the interactions of the animals and the plants in their environment and then recording those observations.   Jan 12 2021

Well, this was scary to dive right in!  I really enjoyed spending time making this first drawing.  Without drawing, I would not have found the weight of his little breast, the fullness of his upper wings/shoulders/neck area.  Finding the angles was difficult.  Studying his sweet eye was joyful. It was nice to have a still subject to study.    I really enjoyed the peace that came when studying this little fellow.

While I was initially intimidated, I enjoyed the process, I look forward to learning the skills I need to capture a subject with my hands. The drawing process made me more aware of what is around the bird, especially the lichen.

I felt good about drawing from the photo, but I did struggle with the head shape, eye, and painting the back and wing feathers of the bird. I find painting feathers difficult. Also, if I wasn't asked to draw it, I wouldn't have noticed how box shaped the bird is. At first glance, it looks round and fluffy. It would make a difference journaling because if I didn’t have this photo to stare at, I probably would’ve drawn the bird more round than square.

The scraggly branches were more interesting once I started drawing them and noticed several kinds of moss & lichen and the little bud joints on the leaf stems. Birds need their little claw feet in order to look like real birds. There are many layers of feathers on the warbler. Looking forward to learning drawing techniques like shading.

Okay, well. I think my bird is a little to fluffy. I'm not sure he could get off the ground.  I chose to leave him as a pencil drawing for the time being. I am freaked out about watercolors. My previous attempts at it have been less than inspiring. Bird legs are hard. I too feel that the best part of my drawing is the branch and leaves.

This was hard for me. I had a hard time getting the shape and the aerodynamic look of the bird. The legs were really hard too. I think the leaves were the easiest, but they still need some work. Any details from the photo on the stick were difficult and not captured. I used colored pencils. I enjoyed drawing but I think it looks like something my kids would draw. My 8 and 5 year old kids just came out and told me how great it looks.

It was hard, especially the red on the chest, but fun. Drawing this made me notice the lichens on the branch.

    Good Morning!  I loved drawing from the photo as the bird didn't move!  I could take my time and really study the shape, shading, and colors.  Finding a quiet, uninterrupted time to explore proved to be the most challenging aspect although the drawing itself was challenging.  Getting the lines and proportions "correct" was a task.  I didn't let myself get frustrated but just worked quietly and intently.  (Listening to Costa Rica soundscapes on Calm was helpful here!) Working from the photo allowed me to see nuances of the bird... the angle of the head, the placement of the talons on the branch, the subtle shades of the head and shoulders.  I might not have noticed these otherwise as I wouldn't have spent (or had) the time to really observe carefully.  I think the struggle with journaling moving animals, plants, living objects is just that, they move.  I imagine practice with stationary objects and photos would make me quicker with the basics so that I would have time to get to the subtleties.  

I felt very confident  doing this drawing , the head and breast became easier for me rather than the wings and bottom . I noticed the varios tipes of moss and lichen on the branch , that would be important if you wanted to determin what species the tree is that the bird is standing on or how old that tree is.

1. It was fun! I'm excited to hone this skill more and more, and to keep continuing with this course. Getting the shape of the bird was harder than I anticipated; drawing and continuing with the sketch despite imperfections came more easily than I thought (as a perfectionist, I often get caught in the particulars which hinders progress and/or completion). 2. I wouldn't have noticed the geometric shape of the bird: how it's head is flatter than I would've assumed if asked to draw this from memory. The position of the tail feather and its structure was surprising as well! Very sturdy looking, and not as long as I would have anticipated. I am very excited to progress and learn more.

1. I felt like everything I needed was in the photo but that the challenge would be in my translation into the drawing. I felt like my drawing did not capture the proper scale. I made my branch too big so some of the leaves did not make it on the paper. I also had a really hard time drawing the leaves. When it came to the bird, I didn't get the eye correct. My bird was also not fat enough. Overall, I struggled with what I should start drawing first. I thought I should have started drawing the bird first because that is the focal point of the exercise, but I started with the branch first (working left to right). 2. There were a lot of things I would not have noticed had I not been asked to draw it. Perhaps the biggest thing is that I wouldn't have noticed the impact of the focus of the picture. Clearly, the bird is the focal point, but that also manifests itself in the rest of the picture. Some of the leaves are in focus and some are not, etc. I think this does make a difference when journaling. I think this exercise taught me that I should be focusing on the subject first and the background second. When I drew my picture, I started methodically - left to right drawing the picture - because I was trying to make sure I drew the entire picture and not just the bird.  

Fun!  I prefer using colors.  Keeping it simple worked for me!

I feel more confident drawing from a photo because the subject doesn't move.  I also felt less pressure because I know this is a pre-test of sorts. I wouldn't have noticed all the cool lichens growing on the branch, the small bill of the bird, the way the foot grasps the branch. Differences in nature journaling would be noticing not just a single subject, but all around that subject too

I think I noticed a lot more detail by drawing it. I also realized that I couldn't quite capture the way the bird was standing on the branch.  The yellow warble that I drew looked awkward. The color of the lichen was also challenging for me.  I feel it would be easier to draw something that was standing still, though, than if it had been moving.  So the photo exercise worked for me!

Drawing from the photo I could take my time. Easy for me were the legs and feet on the branch.  Having the negative space between the legs was very helpful.Challenging was getting the shape of the bird, particularly the head and the breast. Noticing the streaks on the breast I might not have noticed if I wasn't drawing.  Yes, I think you see much more detail when nature journaling.

1. Overall, I enjoyed drawing from a photo. However, sometimes I noticed tensing up trying to capture details. The detail of primary and secondary feathers was particularly challenging. I also struggled with the position of the warbler; as it turned out, I drew it more upright than it was in photo. 2. I think I would not have noticed shadows; the more I looked, the more I noticed shadows and they were fun and easy to draw and they make a big difference in making the bird look more alive.