Caryn

Well, I am blown away by the wonderful sketches and writing I'm observing in everyone's responses.  So nice to be part of a group who shares similar interest to me! I enjoyed drawing from the photo as the fact that the subject was still gave me a chance to focus on details and get the shape more or less correct.  It also was good to practice sketching in itself as it's been a while.  I'm excited to add some colour next.  I love playing with a fresh new paintbox! If I had only looked at the photograph, I think would would have noticed most elements but drawing made me pay closer attenttion to the shape of the lichens and moss, and details of the bird I wouldn't have really focused on, such as the placement of the eye and the details of the legs and feet.  The different types of feather details I would have just not noticed.  I hope to be able to upload some photos of my work if I can get phone and computer to work together!  In the meantime I'm so enjoying looking at everyone else's efforts.  Great to be in this course.              

I was so pleased to see this course come up.  I signed up for Nature Journalling because I want to spend more time closely observing the nature around me, particularly the birds, but other things/creatures/trees etc I enjoy in my yard and elsewhere. In all of the journals I looked at, I think I liked best that many journalists tried many sketches of the same bird.  I also liked that things are done on a small scale, as opposed to a full sheet of watercolour.  I liked the sketch per day idea but will have to see how that goes.   I'm looking forward to sketching and recording what I see around me.