Donna

My nature journaling has mostly been with a camera. I've learned so much getting out on the trails and looking for things as I hike. Journaling through illustration and writing is going to add more to the experience. I think I'll combine the two: photography and nature journaling while on my hikes. That way, I can write details about the experience instead of just creating an image and moving on from there. While I remember my photography experiences out in the field, I'm interested to see what other memories journaling will retain.

My before and after is right to left. It was easier to get the birds closer for the picture by laying them out backwards. I was able to apply scale/measurements. What a fantastic technique. I also applied negative space, especially between the legs.While not great, my first bird looks more cartoonish...a cute cartoon, but not proportional or close to the real thing. My second image looks more like the reference. It looks like a yellow warbler. The first one looks like a generic cartoon bird. I'm going to go back into the latest one and finish it, but thought the comparison worked now because it's a line drawing like the first one and easier to see the differences. I feel good about the sketch. I think I could go back in an increase values with confidence. I really need to work on watercolor technique. It was fun doing the washes and techniques, but when I tried to apply it to my work, I struggled with details. I 

I tried all three. I think the wet-on-wet would work better on a stretched paper. The journal buckled too much and the colors pooled in the indented warp. However, I think wet-on-wet showcases the uniqueness of watercolor paints so I'd very much like to find a way to incorporate it into my journaling.

Getting the basics shapes and form is coming naturally. Filling in detail is hit or miss. I sometimes don't know if I take it too far or too little.

The proportion trick made a difference to my sketches by eye. It helps rough the image in a bit more accurately so that it looked more like the subject. I loved that simply using a pencil and marking along the way is the only tool you need. Proportion is easier to measure when there are distinct parts of the subject.

Ha! This assignment made me laugh. You have to have a sense of humor about your work and this assignment definitely helped loosen up. Besides the humor, it definitely helped me stay focused on my subject. It was hard to resist the temptation to peek at the page, though.

It was raining and cold the past few days so I had to sit  and watch from my window. I do this a lot anyway. Usually squirrels forage, but not today. Everyone hunkered down in the rain. Easy observations are the light. Light is always the first thing I notice. Then, I move to how it filters through the trees and scrapes across the ground. Sounds come next. As I settle into a sit spot, I hear more sounds. I notice the rustling of leaves, the squeaks of chipmunks, and the chirping of birds. It gets harder when I try to discern birds and their sounds. I'm still learning.  

 drawings allow us to pay closer attention to details. When I'm photographing birds, I'm more worried about exposure, lighting, and composition. With drawing, I'm looking at the details on my subject.