My retirement goals included learning to watercolor and doing creative writing. I am a long-time though casual birder and recently moved to the country in western Washington state, where I live on five acres at the end of a half-mile dirt road. Many birds, lots of natural wonders everywhere I look (see photo below - it mushroom time at the farmette). This class is a perfect fit for where I am. When I was a grad student in the 80s I took a biological illustration course, which I loved. Doing the first sketch assignment after listening to the journalers and seeing their work, I started to remember lessons learned almost 40 years ago, drawing bugs (from specimens) and other critters (from photographs). They held still, like the warbler in this assignment. I am looking forward to learning how to capture a moving subject in some way that not only looks like the subject but catches something about the movement.

I enjoyed it, the most challenging thing was trying to figure out how to convey textures. I had no idea how to go about the lichen and even just the texture of the branches, ended up being lazy and just coloring it in. Similarly, looking at the warbler's plumage, I struggled to show the soft feathers, the different types of striations, shading differences and just different feather textures. Overall, I was so happy that my warbler looked like a bird!

I found myself anxious to get every detail right right off the bat.  As I kept drawing it was easier to relax and enjoy the process.  I enjoyed drawing his little feet and legs a lot.  I would not have noticed the details in the leaves and branches, the wispy little underbelly feathers, or the way his beak looks just like a little black oil sunflower seed.

1. I imagine that drawing from a photo is pretty different from drawing subjects in real time. I felt like I had lots of time, but live subject probably won’t be so cooperative. Getting the slightly turning posture of the bird was really hard (don’t think I quite got it) 2. I would not have paid as much attention to shape and proportions and details of markings if I has not drawn it. I think for nature journaling, noticing and capturing details is part of the point.

1. I was self-conscious at first.  I haven't drawn in decades.  The face was the hardest to draw.  I couldn't get the right shape/proportion.  I wasn't sure where to start so I began with the branches so that I would have an anchor for the bird. My shading technique is not good, but it will probably come back to me faster than some other things. 2. So many things I would not have noticed: basic shape, proportions, where the wing starts. 3.  Sure I will be more conscious of detail in both what I sketch and what I write about.

It is a challenge to render yellow and bright colors of the bird using only a pencil whereas light/dark and texture of branches and leaves more fruitful and less challenging.

I enjoyed drawing the Yellow Warbler. I didn't get the scale of the overall space relative to the bird correct. The bird ended up bigger that it was relative to the branch, in the photo. It wasn't a bad thing, but I intended to get the proportions as in the photo. I hadn't noticed the bird's claws until sketching them. They're really interesting! Photos have the advantage of capturing fleeting details that would be hard to see in a living, moving bird.

• I think it was a good place to start as you could study at your leisure knowing it would not fly away. Can’t say this was easy. Challenging how to convey textures, curves, proportions. 2. I spent more time looking at textures and how things were put together.

Well. He looks like a happy bird...

I really wish the bird was facing the other direction! Why is this so difficult? Picture later. Still erasing!  :(

I was able to notice a lot more detail. Zooming in on the picture helped. It was easy to see the geometrical shapes, oval for the body and a smaller oval for the head. It was challenging to capture the softness of the feathers. I ended up using short strokes. For some reason the beak was challenging and I had to draw is a few times before I got it somewhat ok. The proportions between the body and the legs are off. I wouldn’t have noticed the little hole in the beak if I hadn’t drawn it. I also wouldn’t have noticed the brown stripes in the lower body along the feathers either. Yes, not getting the hole in the beak would have been an important omission.

Intended to draw electronically - with a new tool and a new technique. Came out better than expected, but still a long way to go.

I felt very intimidated, so I started with drawing the branch/leaves.  I noticed the shapes/textures of one leaf, the bark and the branch.  The warbler is so vivid and dynamic in the photo.  As I was drawing, I gained some confidence by focusing on the branch.  The most challenging thing is actually posting my sketch!

1.  I need a lot of practice of course!  But it looks much better than I thought it would, YaY!  The feeling of looking at the small details and trying to capture them in the drawing is fun, interesting, and frustrating all at the same time.  How do I make it look like that?  is the frustrating part, but I have confidence that I will learn how to improve that in this course.  It is really fun to see how much better this looks than I thought it would. 2.  I had recently watched the bird identification courses for size and shape, and colors and patterns, and there were some clues in those courses that helped me get some of the proportions better, which I would have struggled with so much more before.  For example, the distance from the back of the eye to the front of the head compared to the length of the bill or beak.  Is it a bill or a beak??  Hmmm.  Maybe it's a bill on a duck and a beak on everything else?  Something to look for in the course.

• This is a very familiar bird to me, and I was smiling as I drew it.  The bird was still, in nature this little guy is always moving. I liked all the leaves too. I noticed the shadows on the leaves and the texture of the branches.

1.  Drawing from a photo makes it easier to see details - the bird didn't move or quickly fly away and the lighting was constant.  I don't think anything came easy or particularly challenging (I've not artistic training), although getting a three dimensional 'look' to the drawing seemed difficult. 2.  I doubt I would have paid much attention to the proportions or the feather markings.  And yes, that will make a difference in my journaling.

When drawing from a photo you don’t have the problem of the subject you are drawing moving. What was most challenging is getting the proportions right and the bird’s head is slightly turned and it is hard to get that effect in the drawing. I would not have noticed the more subtle colored patterns of the feathers. It might not make a great difference in nature journaling to get all the colored patterns maybe just the more prominent ones.

It was a good exercise & I’m looking forward to improving my skills especially in relation to proportions.

I looked forward to this evening's warbler foibles... say that 10 times fast! Sketching and painting is the perfect end to a busy day. A full hour of figuring out how my watercolour pencils work. The first bird I've ever done... and I'm a bit surprised at myself... it looks like a warbler! It isn't a Robert Bateman, but I kind of like its amateur folksy quality. There was a lot I wouldn't have noticed without trying to draw it. The nails, the angle of the legs, the ruddy streaks on the breast. I think the attention to detail is wonderfully meditative and it will impact my journalling for the better. It also makes vice-presidential debates much more palatable to listen to... regardless of which side you're rooting for.

I enjoyed drawing this little guy.  I have a background in art, but it's been a long time since I've actually drawn anything.  It was a challenge recalling the techniques I had learned along the way.  I probably would have not noticed the branches and leaves as much and concentrated on observing the warbler, and that would make a difference in the "story" you are trying to convey of the moment.

I enjoyed trying to draw this bird, but it was hard to get the proportions right. The beak and eye placement were difficult too! I enjoyed seeing the details, especially in the color patterns and would not have noticed these details if not drawing. Fun!

Who thought drawing with pencil could be so much fun?! Thank heavens the bird did not take flight and I had an eraser. As a lifelong birder, I have never really drawn birds before. It really solidifies your appreciation for this male yellow warbler....which happens to be migrating thru my neck of the woods right now.