• Olivia
      Participant
      Chirps: 17
      Honestly, I can appreciate my progress comparing "after and before" seeing the results, anyway, I´m having problems to get some colors, because I´m working with a watercolors `no matte´ box, and I still have doubts in the selection for mixing and calculate accurate portions to obtein tones that I expect. Slowly, but I feel that I improve in the application of learned techniques, but to shade or feign proportions or volume, I need to do it with a ballpen, pencils or markers, for me it´s essential to give it more expressiveness. Obviously it´s different the sheet that I used for my first exercise too, for which I chose one page of my own diary and give way to a new phase. dia6marzo3 dia1febrero3
    • Amy
      Participant
      Chirps: 22
      BB37F319-0E60-4FE3-8CA4-6962ED903BAF I started this course in fall 2019. I kept meaning to get back to it after the holidays, but then, well, life got interesting for all of us. Finally I finished the second picture! I was able to be more detailed and more adventurous the second time around, and more accurate with the colors. I used a glaze for the background and established a palette, with notes, that I was able to recreate over two years later. I still had trouble with smudging the eye! I am also working on getting the right amount of pigment and water on the brush, and steady brushstrokes. I’m a much more confident artist now when I  actually paint!
    • Ria
      Participant
      Chirps: 22
      Learning about negative space was a game changer for me! How to measure proportions and layering of color was also really helpful. This was such a great course! IMG-5728
      • Mary
        Participant
        Chirps: 90
        Wow! That's what the bird truly looks like...nice!
    • Suzanne
      Participant
      Chirps: 22
      The contrast between my before and after drawings show the effectiveness of Liz's instructions. I used her tips on varying values to create dimension, squiggles to create the lichen, stippling in the branch, and negative space to position the bird on the branch. The proportion measuring with a pencil trick helped my poor bird's first shape improve. I am happy with my progress and look forward to gaining skill with all these tools. IMG_7524IMG_7523
    • Dawn
      Participant
      Chirps: 25
      IMG_1344I feel like I got the overall proportions better by using my pencil to measure.  I also got the proportions within the bird more accurate this way.  Really like the eye placement and size much better in my second painting. I am feeling good about my water color techniques and want to continue working with them.  My new journal that I just started has heavier real watercolor paper in it so I can use my paints a lot more.
      • Suzanne
        Participant
        Chirps: 22
        I admire your crisp use of black in the feathers. Your lines are so clean and straight! Any tips for doing that?
    • Beth
      Participant
      Chirps: 15
      Negative space, sketchy lines, dry brush. Untitled design-2
      • Suzanne
        Participant
        Chirps: 22
        Great job on the bird, and the branch is very realistic as well!
      • JUDY
        Participant
        Chirps: 2
        Great job I think you nailed it. Love it. The eye is hard to do but you got it. The eye puts life in the picture.
      • Mary
        Participant
        Chirps: 90
        The branch looks so real...love the eye....great work!
      • Mary
        Participant
        Chirps: 90
        The branch looks so real....I need toward on the branch too ...love the eye....great work!
    • Kathleen
      Participant
      Chirps: 74
      IMG_20211010_082341IMG_20210918_121905My before sketch was completed in my notebook for the class. The after sketch was completed in the MixMedia  sketch pad. During the course, I switched from sketching pencils to a mechanical pencil to assist me in completing crisp, shorter strokes. I am more mindful of negative space.  The after image is OK but I would like to achieve more vibrant color and utilize more color mixing to achieve the desired results.The after image was made with a chrome book camera and it does not reproduce the color or image sharpness  very well.
    • Beth
      Participant
      Chirps: 4
      IMG_0657 I had not used watercolor prior to taking this class and I have done a few landscapes as practice exercises. A few things I like about the yellow warbler w/watercolor: I didn't overwork the bird as in the original sketch - this is something I've definitely adopted to my sketching; I was much more patient with the watercolor and like some of the texture of the branches and leaves that layering different colors and tones created; I used the negative space to create a more proportional bird. Though this doesn't come through entirely in the photo, I used a water on water technique to just shade the paper green. I was really surprised at how much depth and warmth just that little color added to the overall impression. I'll work on watercolor technique forever, but isn't that the point?
    • Esteban
      Participant
      Chirps: 170
      I am extremely proud of my painting. I love how this image was from strange to expert. For example in the before image the eye is out of course, the olive yellow back was too short, the branch was too short, and the bird was all slim down. But in the after it looks more realistic, alive, and accurate. There is color; the branch, eye, and back are accurate; the details are excellent. I dd not knew anything of proportion or watercolors. But now this made me become a " Be a better Painter".  :)
    • Esteban
      Participant
      Chirps: 170
      inCollage_20210825_155727711
    • Kim
      Participant
      Chirps: 9
      beginning warblerwarbler one year later I'm surprised at the skills gained after a year in the course.  How delightful to grow in this journey will everyone and I truly look forward to seeing one year from now how my skills have developed.
      • Mary
        Participant
        Chirps: 90
        I love the beak, the eye, the feathers...and although I did learn so much with the watercolor, I need to improve my sketching....nice work on your sketches!
    • Sarah
      Participant
      Chirps: 18
      yellow birds.02
    • Gerda
      Participant
      Chirps: 10
      6A19315C-4E1F-4718-ACB5-00E2EB216E1B_1_105_c I am pleased how my lessons improved this Yellow Warbler, Watercolor is my medium of choice, sometimes waiting for the paint to dry is my challenge. Therefore, taking my time, waiting until the paint dries, don't be in a hurry. I must say this little bird on July 7th took almost two hours to complete. This class has taught me many new things. I have loved nature all my live, loved to hike and backpack and put in the miles. Now - I enjoy sitting in the forest, listen to the birds, forage for edibles, take photos and attempt to paint. I have often taken my sketchbook along, usually I take a photo and draw at home.  My question is - when will I sit down and actually do a plein air....? hoping to find a group to paint outside.
      • Suzanne
        Participant
        Chirps: 22
        Gerda, you are so right about taking time to allow the paint to dry. This is my stumbling block to avoid as well, but I'm still slow to finish my work. Sometimes I sit it on the piano where I will pass it several times a day. Seeing it upright instead of flat on a table and at a distance reveals things I can do to improve. BTW, my husband and I harvested acorns this year and made acorn crepes and pancakes. Delicious!
    • Barbara
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      I have enjoyed taking this course(although it took me months to get through it). I always enjoyed drawing but am badly out of practice. This course helped me get back into it and going forward I am going to draw and sketch more frequently. I did a pencil sketch the second time around feeling it will be a good compare and contrast. In the second one I did pay more attention to detail, as well as using proportion and negative space as aids. D3B3B424-9BC9-49E0-A2F5-1F8B1F5A8C95
    • IMG_2866 It took me a year and one day to get this course completed. I think my final bird looks kind of worried, but overall has better proportions than the portly one I first drew. I used the idea of looking at negative space to get the body to be more accurate. From taking the course, I also learned to do the background all at once to start, instead of afterward and I had a lot less color bleeding that way. When I did my first painting, I didn't know about letting the layers dry and everything kind of bled together. In the second attempt, I was able to get more details on the stomach stripes and leaves, from layering and using a smaller brush. Overall, I think the second picture reflects more of the actual bird and the first one is more of the idea of the bird. I still need a lot of practice, but I did make progress! Thanks for the wonderful course.
    • Lisa
      Participant
      Chirps: 5
      I have improved a lot. I did a pencil drawing to make a better comparison. My second drawing is much better observed, with more accurate detail in the branch and the bird. Proportions and negative space are better. I have learned how to see the details and the shapes. I am really thrilled with the result. I’m a lot more confident and enjoying taking the time with my journaling. I expect I’ll improve further. 22EEBCB7-904D-407E-81A4-F803864B647E 010178D4-B63C-4E39-998B-213BA4578819
    • Bernadette
      Participant
      Chirps: 15
      20210609_15520920210609_155130
      • Bernadette
        Participant
        Chirps: 15
        I feel like I have definitely come a long way since the first lesson.   Adding color was a challenge because I am still learning what to do with watercolor.  I was much happier with the wings before I added the watercolors, but I am pleased with some of the techniques I picked up.  I do like some of the things happening with the color in the branch even though I did not match the colors from the image.
    • Lisa
      Participant
      Chirps: 13
      Well the the new effort was a bit disappointing. I think I rushed things a bit. I have to remember to be sure it's DRY! The wash didn't come out well because the paper was not wet enough at the top, but came out better at the bottom--lesson learned. I practiced using a dryer brush, still an effort to get that right. With the exception of the rust feathers, the colors came out ok. I find working under yellowy incandescent lights to be difficult on a dreary grey day. Loved this class and really want to get out in the field and practice, practice, practice!Before and after yellow warblers
    • Karen
      Participant
      Chirps: 19
      I think I made a lot of use of proportion and negative space in the second drawing.  I would never have attempted watercolour before doing this course.  I would like to work on capturing the little details with watercolour. Yellow Warbler IIYellow Warbler
    • May
      Participant
      Chirps: 25
      I was so excited to look at both drawings. The recent one was more refined. The drawing techniques were fun to put into practice. I focused on negative spaces which helped to get a better drawing. I felt good about the proportions. Need to work on edges and make the bird 3D by applying layers of colors to show form and detail. I'm pleased with both drawings because it was my first time to draw and paint birds in a journal! Thank you for all the tips and tutorial that made this possible. Below are my two drawings of the Yellow Warbler. m
    • Eleanor
      Participant
      Chirps: 7
      I truly believe I applied most, if not all, the drawing techniques that I've learned in this class!  IMG_20210519_111123432I especially was aware of proportion and negative space with this drawing.  I feel very good about how far I've come in the last 10 weeks since I have never attempted to draw artistically previously-"no talent" is no excuse when you have some techniques to practice.  I want to work on developing my own style, to be effectively give the impression of the image that I want to preserve without getting bogged down in the detail, shading and dimensionality are goals, as well as being more subtle with my paint colors and values.
    • Karen
      Participant
      Chirps: 14
      I tried to better use proportion in the second drawing, although I still have to work on values. Watercolor is still a technique I'm working. Less forgiving than the pencil and eraser!
    • Karen
      Participant
      Chirps: 14
      Before_After Warbler
    • Susanne
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      This course has been absolutely wonderful and I will definitely go through it again! I love the relaxed way that Liz teaches, and all of the wonderful techniques that she demonstrates. Thank you!
    • Susanne
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      CA2A6639-E5E9-4761-9F02-3BFF5D053B3E