There is so much to notice and think about when I slow down. The sit spot technique is really helping me see things for the first time. I also noticed that I needed words to describe specific parts of plants etc. and as a result learned so much about leaves, leaf parts and shapes not to mention  about these two plants. As I become more comfortable with sketching, I hope I will be able to betterbalance recording numerical data and writing with drawing.

Have not tried a comparison study. Have no flowers handy to compare. Will try this as soon as I notice spring ephemerals emerging. Which won't be too long!

It was very cold and frozen snow covered the ground in my backyard, so I wasn’t able to make a proper comparison study. I’ll echo what someone else wrote before me: challenging to take this course in winter :D I picked up two ivy leaves from the backyard and drew them indoors. Instead of focussing on two similar but different subjects, I focussed on two leaves of the same species. It was still a very insightful exercise, since I was able to highlight all the little differences between them as I drew and coloured them. I’ll wait for spring and be back on it, it’s a very interesting way of looking at and trying to understand things better.

First attempt at comparison

Trying to get away from JUST drawing/sketching birds. In my front yard here are two plants that are like "weeds". I have a newer growth Banana (i cut this about 2 months ago after unharvested) and a small epiphyte on a old tree snag from a red palm. It's a beautiful summer day about 33°, blue skies and nice and windy like the dry season should be.

Challenging doing this course in the winter. There’s still snow covering lawn/driveway from three weeks ago. Temporarily warming up to mid-50s, and rain predicted. Would much prefer to physically be outdoors but at least a month and a half away. Did some sketches of houseplants yesterday; today did up-close sketches of purchased tulips/hyacinths.  Individual hyacinth blossoms seem to have varied # of petals; when packed in overall cluster not noticeable. Tulips grow taller and leggier every day creating the prettiest formations.

I spent a day in the spring just looking at and drawing all things purple. I didn't realize how many different flowers are purple and how many shades of purple.

I made notes of the birds who visited our backyard today. I decided to compare their beaks, sketching from my photos. I was focused on beaks but ended up finding the feather patterns around the eyes really interesting as well.  

I used indoor plants as it was cold in MA.  I enjoyed comparing the two plants and noticed details that I had not seen even though these plants have been in ours house for at least one year.

1. I did a comparison of hop and thicket creeper. They climb side by side in my garden. The leaves' five-lobe shape and the edge's outline resemble each other. I haven't noticed, that hops climb with the help of short, downward hairs on the stem. It feels sticky and you can't slide your fingers into the opposite hair. 2. I need a bigger, much bigger, sketchbook!

Two herbs in the same pot. I never realized that the part of the lavender plant that’s inside sachets is the bud, harvested before it flowers. I love lavender; it reminds me of my grandmother, who also loved it.  I like basil for a different reason: the taste! I never noticed before that the basil flower is like a little orchid. Both lavender and basil are in the mint family, it turns out.

I really enjoyed this exercise.  I chose two flowers in my flower bed.  The one is petunia and I have no idea what the other is.  Both flowers are similar color, but so many differences.  The flower on the left is small and has feathery leaves, much more delicate than the petunia.  It is on long slender stems and long narrow leaves as compared to the petunia which is a much larger flower with a strong line of color running in the center of each petal.  Also the petunia has clusters of large round shaped leaves.  This course is helping me to look closer at everything, not just when I am sketching and I love it.

I did a comparison drawing of two flowers in my yard, allium and meadow phlox. I discovered they are similar in that each flower is comprised of many small flowers. However, a close inspection revealed a number of differences between the individual flowers of each plant beyond the obvious color difference: the number of petals, the shape of the petals, the shape of the flower, the length of the stamen, the existence of small leaves under the flower. Taking the time to look closely and draw what I see is almost meditative!

Comparison between Gulf Fritillary Butterfly and Mourning Cloak. I cheated by using my camera to capture the image so I could get good detail. However, in defense of myself, I found it very enlightening.  

Autumn Joy and Rudbeckia Comparison

I enjoyed this exercise, as it challenged me to really look at both plants and see the similarities/differences.  I wasn't used to paying such focused attention to details such as buds, petals, stems, leaves/veins, overall shape, etc. but as I did I noticed more than I would have just perusing them in my yard.  I thought of questions such as: did the broad leaves of both plants catch more water/sunlight than smaller ones would have? Do bees ever come to flowers such as cyclamen and geraniums?    What is the affect on propagation of a bulb v.s. a root plant? Do the shapes of these flowers enhance their survival, assuming a receptive environment? I hadn't been aware of these before.

I ended up painting it, too. I saw details I never would have noticed, otherwise!