• Nicole
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      This was my first attempt to draw a bird! And I was surprised how much I enjoyed doing it. I do hope that the yellow warbler will have better proportions at the end of the course! Coloring came the easiest. the shape of the beak I would have not noticed as much. a very good first observation exercise of a bird. Nicole
    • Eleanor
      Participant
      Chirps: 4
      I like drawing from a photo. I wouldn't have noticed all the details and shapes of the birds and the leaves if I hadn't drawn it. IMG_20210414_142302388
    • carol
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      I don’t know how to load drawings or photos of them. I am happy to have drawn a yellow warbler that is recognizable as one. - I’d love to know how others got a feathered look using the recommended water colors. My red streaks are pretty crude.
      • Elizabeth
        Bird Academy
        Hi Carol, To post images in a discussion, click on the "Insert Image" button located in the top left of the reply text editor (the box where you typed your comment), and then select an image from your computer or your phone. Then click the "Submit" button.
    • Christine
      Participant
      Chirps: 5
      I had a difficult time getting starting on this exercise, and I spent a lot of time thinking about it before beginning.  Then, when I did start I found I started with the branches, drawing them in and then making the bird fit the branches, which I also found difficult.  Once I was working on the bird, though, it became easier.  I blocked in some rough shapes and worked from there. Having the photo allowed me to take my time and pay attention to the details.  There was grey shading on the head, back, and shoulders that I would have missed if I wasn't asked to draw the bird - subtle coloring and shading became more noticeable, as I worked on the drawing.  When nature journaling, it's nice to be able to get all those details, but I think I'd miss a lot of them.  Having that photo helps to keep those details to reference when drawing. Yellow Warbler1
    • Terry
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      A good exercise to look at the detail in the bird and it's surroundings.  I noticed his head was more cocked and I missed that part in my drawing.  Proportions were hard but I'm assuming that takes more practice.  A decent beginning but I think I will have to focus more on the details.
    • Beth
      Participant
      Chirps: 6
      I like drawing from photos.  they sit still. :) I find it difficult to get the shape of the bird right.  and the bill.  But, it was absorbing to look closely and draw and time fell away.  That is my favorite part about drawing/art.
    • Anne
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      First time I ever saw a yellow warbler—or at least had one pointed out to me—was in the Galapagos...the start of my semi-serious birding adventures. So it was especially cool to see the sample nature journals from those wonderful islands. 265C1DC0-7739-4B0C-AAD6-3AA40286BD27I love photography and take lots of pics of birds and nature. I prefer drawing/painting from my photos vs real life, so I wonder how these two dynamics are going to play out as I start nature journaling, I’m also super self-critical about my drawing & painting skills. Hope that the lightness and flexibility of journaling is liberating for me. This drawing begs for color! Can’t wait to learn out pointers for incorporating water color into this process.
    • JOYAmusic
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      Yellow Warbler As I listened to the recordings of the Yellow Warbler while drawing in my journal, I recalled when I first investigated them last summer. They were visiting my garden on the Eastern migratory corridor of the Rocky Mountains. Bright flashes of golden lightning issued from the flocks of American Goldfinch that dominated. But there was something shy and sweet that emanated from the bushes. The male came forth with a muted, almost avocado green on the back - darting out and then quickly in the dwarf wild plum bushes. Sitting still - stop weeding the cilantro and basil - soon he invites his mate to join him on the dill flowers where hummingbirds have been flitting about all day. Will they be nesting? It's a noisy place in the city - just glad they came to visit. No Photos Please - they are much too shy and quick. But their picture will stay vibrant in my memory of the sunshine the Yellow Warblers brought to us that day. My journal entry was at a very relaxed pace, due to my reflections and inspirations. In the sketch, I was able to appreciate each part of the bird's anatomy, as I thought of its flight and song and purpose. I will add color later when they return this year- late June I hope. yellow warbler journal
    • Cindy
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      I wasn’t sure if this was suppose to be done with a lot of details. Since it was a photo and I could keep referring back to it, I could have taken a lot of time. I chose to do a quick sketch, not a lot of accuracy or detail. I find it easier to draw from a photo because my mind can focus on just that. D53D6DFF-15C7-4C7C-920E-4EF8D41EA738
    • Leopold
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      IMG_3535-1IMG_3537 For me this was the first time using watercolor for something this "complicated". After finishing the bird I got a little impatient and didn´t put that much effort into the branches. After a while I figured that the paper I was using wasn´t quite watercolor-friendly. My mom joined me in drawing the Yellow Warbler, you can see her result above as well. I´m very excited to draw this picture again at the end of the course.
    • Margie
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      I liked drawing from the photo because it gives you time draw and look again and make changes.  This warbler seems to be easier to draw than some other birds. It was challenging to draw the feathers.  I did not notice the darker streaks of feathers in the bird's chest.  This would be important because it would be a point of identity. IMG_8679
    • Zoë
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      431F02B8-379D-48D7-AA5D-E6234B780A2A This was a lot of fun! Sketching out the image was much easier than using the watercolors (very new to water colors). Definitely paid more attention to trying to be ‘accurate’ than I may have otherwise been.
      • Mary
        Participant
        Chirps: 3
        Amazing --especially love the bark and lichen--for a watercolor "beginner"!
      • Mary
        Participant
        Chirps: 3
        Amazing --especially love the bark and lichen--for a watercolor "beginner"! Mary in NH
    • Janice
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      2C5C2BB2-44EB-4AD0-A633-5BAB2ACDAF85_1_201_a
    • Cathy
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      I noticed so much more about the yellow warbler as I drew it! I didn't know it that it had a kind of charcoal-smudged cape with distinctive feathered epaulets. I was also struck by the distinctive black edging on the wing. To draw it using pencil was challenging, as I tried to make the grey features different from the reddish-brown features. I also wanted to represent the fluffiness of some of the feathers vs. the sharpness of the wings.
    • Davie Art
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      1.  I did not mind drawing from a photo at all.  Especially a bird as they never sit still.   2.  The excitement of drawing a warbler was the easiest part.  I love warblers.  The wings were a challenge for me.  3.  Um, everything about the bird.  If it was moving I'd be lost.  4.  Probably.  It's hard enough ID'ing birds let alone trying to draw one on the spot.  Maybe once I start learning how to draw birds better it will come easy but right now a photo works for me.Yellow Warbler
    • Christine
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      IMG_9176 The benefit of drawing the bird, is that you really remember the details which helps with identification. A photo is faster and more accurate. I really enjoyed drawing this. I am nervous about adding color, so I thought I should upload before I try...
    • Susan
      Participant
      Chirps: 4
      i cannot ever get it to look 3 dimensional. It looks like a flat side view not like his head is angled toward the viewer. I supposed this is done by shading?
    • Janet
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      Felt oddly nervous about drawing from the photo without more specific instruction, as though I might screw something up. Still, getting the shape of the warbler was pretty easy and capturing the beak and eye. There are details I'd have missed if I hadn't been drawing the bird, like the bird's toes and the positioning of the legs. I was surprised how clearly I could see the delicate toes and toenails. I also wouldn't have noticed the wisp of feathers partially covering the leg on the left.
    • Sara
      Participant
      Chirps: 6
      It is easier as the subject remains stationary. Feathers and shadings are a challenge with a pencil.  Closer look brings the tree branch details  - the lichen and moss.  The absolute black eye.  Leg angles - Nature journaling reqyellow warbler  draw 1uires these details.
    • Aki
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      1.  It was fun.  I was able to capture more details than the live objects.  Getting the proportion and shapes right was challenging. 2.  Details in the leaves and the bird.  Shading in the feathers.  Overall shape of the birds. Photo on 4-7-21 at 7.32 PM
    • Amanda
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      IMG_9502IMG_9503 My 6-year-old daughter decided to join me for the for the first exercise, and we had a blast! I felt comfortable drawing the sticks and leaves and then totally lost with the bird. I would not have noticed the moss if I hadn't drawn the image, and I can see how that would be a nice environmental detail for a nature journal. I like that when you draw, you really need to hone in on the details to capture them, and often with general photography you trust the image to do that for you.
      • Susan
        Participant
        Chirps: 4
        sooo cute! Now I'm intimidated!
    • Chantal
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      I probably would not have noticed the feet as much.  It was a great exercise.
    • Lisa
      Participant
      Chirps: 5
      I’ve been trying this year to add a page to my journal every few days. I’ve also been doing some drawing and watercolour courses. I approached drawing this bird as just drawing it. I intended to draw quickly and tried to draw confidently. I’ve always been more of a photographer than a drawer but I love the focus that drawing gives me and my results are improving. I’m so impressed by everyone’s contributions to this discussion. Here’s mine (note that I am in Australia and we do dates differently. This is dated April 6.) 602E4BCD-EAC2-4851-B3B7-B3DA95E3BBBA
    • Linda
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      Ex1-YellowWarbler At first I didn't trust myself to get started, but then it just kind of flowed.  Having the time to draw from the photo really let me focus on the details.  When I'm just looking at a photograph, I don't really notice the finer details of color variations, patterns, and proportions.
    • Mary
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      IMG_5323 I didn't think much, had no prior training or practice in drawing...just listened to Liz and drew what I saw. I liked what I did and look forward to learning more. Wow! SO many drawings look like professional work already!