Beth
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Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
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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? -
I used this pine cone and hatching, contour hatching, and blurring to practice finding appropriate value that provides a 3D illustration. I'm not sure that a pine cone was the best option (I've never drawn a pine cone) and I got a little lost (!) but I tried to refer to a scale of light and dark to consistently convey where the lightest/darkest parts of the cone were observed.
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I appreciate drawing from a photo because I can spend as much on details as I want. I can really pay attention to the direction and length of feathers, the light in the eye and beak and the strength and grip of the bird. I absolutely cannot accurately portray feathers - I get lost in the number and closeness of the various lengths and shapes (ugh). I think when nature journaling, I might use my experience from drawing from a photo to better understand the shape of birds I regularly see and allow the journaling to capture posture and action and the context of the garden, yard, trail, etc.
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I bought a new home approximately four years ago and the builder removed nearly all of the natural habitat in the neighborhood. I've since planted many trees, shrubs, and flowers and have enjoyed watching the birds build nests in the magnolias, the bees feed on the lantana and holly, the American goldfinches eating the coneflower seeds, and the morning doves sunbathing on the fence. I have northern cardinals that swoop in for a quick snack, hummingbirds that adorable the crapemyrtles and (the dreaded) mockingbirds that can't seem to remember where they build the nest (so they build another one and another one and....) My hope is to use my nature journal to document the changes in the yard as it matures, capture the seasonal (and permanent) visitors, and enjoy the habitat I've created. I live in a city with high growth and we are constantly intruding on the natural world. Planting my pollinator-friendly yard and watching the visitors come and go has been so rewarding (and feels a little redemptive). I'm planning on using my nature journaling as a way to really appreciate the space throughout the year. Thanks to Liz, I've also recaptured my joy in drawing but have almost always done black and white sketches. I am looking forward to adding some color, learning new techniques and just tap into my creative mind.
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? 
I used this pine cone and hatching, contour hatching, and blurring to practice finding appropriate value that provides a 3D illustration. I'm not sure that a pine cone was the best option (I've never drawn a pine cone) and I got a little lost (!) but I tried to refer to a scale of light and dark to consistently convey where the lightest/darkest parts of the cone were observed. Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)