Patricia
Forum Replies Created
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Hi all, I’m taking photos of things I see on my nature walks and painting them later, due to cold. On this particular walk, I went into an arboretum. Under a cherry tree I found a rustic chair with a copy of “Anne of Green Gables” on it. Magic! -
It’s still cold where I live, so I take photos of things I observe and then elaborate on them in my journal when I get home. This is a page showing three renditions of the same subject, a fallen log. I could go back in and make comments about the new life living in the dead log. I’ve learned the new skills of gesture drawing and using loose sketch marks from this course. I will work on writing more reflections and including more observational comments. It’s been great!
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Here are two pages from my Nature Journal. I painted the outflow creek from Sagamore Lake, and wrote a reflection on how much that place means to me.
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I’m very happy with my progress. My sketch on the left was done with colored pencils. The one on the right was done with a pencil drawing on 130 lb. textured watercolor paper, and watercolors which I’ll tape onto a page in my mixed media Nature Journal. I used wet on wet for the background, wet on dry for most of the bird, and dry brush on details of the bird and branches/leaves. I’m really happy with creating a 3D feel to the bird using shades and highlights.
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This is beautiful! I’m in Western NY, too. It’s full of lovely landscapes. I really resonate to your comment about painting during stressful times.
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I’m using a quart-sized Ziplock bag to hold my tiny Winsor and Newton watercolor travel palette. I’m using a 6B pencil, water brush, and 130 lb watercolor paper cut to size to fit in my Nature Journal. All of this fits in my quart bag, which I carry in a daypack when I’m out in the woods.
I’m really happy with what I’ve learned from this course about gesture drawing and color mixing.
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I had the same problem, Heidi. I found some old watercolor paper in my studio, cut it to size, and taped it into my sketchbook. I like the weight of my sketchbook paper for drawing, but watercolor really needs thicker, textured paper to make the medium as effective as possible.
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Here are two pages from my sketchbook showing use of wash, glazing, blending, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, and dry-on-dry. I looked back at some of my watercolors painted before I started this course, and wow! What a difference. Also, my sketchbook paper wasn't great for watercolor, so I found some old watercolor paper, cut it to size, and am painting on it and taping it into my sketchbook...
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I tried drawing a red-breasted merganser, often seen near my home on Lake Ontario, coloring it in with colored pencils. Yes, I know we're supposed to be practicing watercolor techniques, but my nature journal is made of drawing paper, not watercolor or mixed media paper. I'm really happy with this result. I'll try it again on watercolor paper, and maybe glue it into my journal...
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I've tried all three of these techniques. It's difficult to do dry brush with a water brush...I'll just have to keep trying. I hadn't thought about using wet on wet in my journal...great idea!
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This is actually two different exercises. The larger sketch was an attempt at proportion, while the more detailed woodpecker (a different species) is an attempt at demonstrating depth. I feel good about the proportion of the smaller drawing. Shading will come, in time. I'm having difficulties concentrating on two different skills at one time.
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I've done this exercise before, and it's usually successful. I don't always generalize that skill to drawing live objects. It was fun, but doesn't really help me much when it comes to the real thing. Here's my attempt. I saw it as a collection of shapes and lines.
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This is my comparison study, holly and hemlock. I did see many differences that I might not have otherwise noted.
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It's been too cold here to sit outside for any length of time, so I took a 20-minute stroll around my yard a few days ago. I found these snowdrops, the first new growth of the season. I was amazed at how much I noticed, even in that short amount of time, and in such a limited location.
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Yesterday I took a 15-minute walk in my garden and made notes about what I saw. I couldn't sit, as it was 34 degrees out, but I came inside and wrote down everything I observed. I was amazed at how much I saw even in such a limited space and time! Here's my journal page:
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Here is my first attempt..I am really enjoying this course! I noticed tiny details, like the lichen on the branches, that I may have missed. Drawing enhances seeing.
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I tried various shading techniques to capture the 3D aspect of these shells and small stone. The squint test didn't really work very well, as all three shells are white.
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I'm interested in working on more natural objects gathered from the field. The squint test is interesting, but how does it work on objects that are all white, such as these three shells?
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Me, too. It's very frustrating.
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I did the contour drawing not looking at my hand or the paper at all, and predictably, they were pretty far from the real thing. I think I need to do this every day to get it right. No fair erasing...
Hi all, I’m taking photos of things I see on my nature walks and painting them later, due to cold. On this particular walk, I went into an arboretum. Under a cherry tree I found a rustic chair with a copy of “Anne of Green Gables” on it. Magic! 
It’s still cold where I live, so I take photos of things I observe and then elaborate on them in my journal when I get home. This is a page showing three renditions of the same subject, a fallen log. I could go back in and make comments about the new life living in the dead log. I’ve learned the new skills of gesture drawing and using loose sketch marks from this course. I will work on writing more reflections and including more observational comments. It’s been great! 
Here are two pages from my Nature Journal. I painted the outflow creek from Sagamore Lake, and wrote a reflection on how much that place means to me. 
I’m very happy with my progress. My sketch on the left was done with colored pencils. The one on the right was done with a pencil drawing on 130 lb. textured watercolor paper, and watercolors which I’ll tape onto a page in my mixed media Nature Journal. I used wet on wet for the background, wet on dry for most of the bird, and dry brush on details of the bird and branches/leaves. I’m really happy with creating a 3D feel to the bird using shades and highlights. 
I’m using a quart-sized Ziplock bag to hold my tiny Winsor and Newton watercolor travel palette. I’m using a 6B pencil, water brush, and 130 lb watercolor paper cut to size to fit in my Nature Journal. All of this fits in my quart bag, which I carry in a daypack when I’m out in the woods.
I’m really happy with what I’ve learned from this course about gesture drawing and color mixing. 
Here are two pages from my sketchbook showing use of wash, glazing, blending, wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, and dry-on-dry. I looked back at some of my watercolors painted before I started this course, and wow! What a difference. Also, my sketchbook paper wasn't great for watercolor, so I found some old watercolor paper, cut it to size, and am painting on it and taping it into my sketchbook... 
I tried drawing a red-breasted merganser, often seen near my home on Lake Ontario, coloring it in with colored pencils. Yes, I know we're supposed to be practicing watercolor techniques, but my nature journal is made of drawing paper, not watercolor or mixed media paper. I'm really happy with this result. I'll try it again on watercolor paper, and maybe glue it into my journal... 
I've tried all three of these techniques. It's difficult to do dry brush with a water brush...I'll just have to keep trying. I hadn't thought about using wet on wet in my journal...great idea! 
This is actually two different exercises. The larger sketch was an attempt at proportion, while the more detailed woodpecker (a different species) is an attempt at demonstrating depth. I feel good about the proportion of the smaller drawing. Shading will come, in time. I'm having difficulties concentrating on two different skills at one time. 
I've done this exercise before, and it's usually successful. I don't always generalize that skill to drawing live objects. It was fun, but doesn't really help me much when it comes to the real thing. Here's my attempt. I saw it as a collection of shapes and lines. 
This is my comparison study, holly and hemlock. I did see many differences that I might not have otherwise noted. 
It's been too cold here to sit outside for any length of time, so I took a 20-minute stroll around my yard a few days ago. I found these snowdrops, the first new growth of the season. I was amazed at how much I noticed, even in that short amount of time, and in such a limited location. 
Yesterday I took a 15-minute walk in my garden and made notes about what I saw. I couldn't sit, as it was 34 degrees out, but I came inside and wrote down everything I observed. I was amazed at how much I saw even in such a limited space and time! Here's my journal page:
Here is my first attempt..I am really enjoying this course! I noticed tiny details, like the lichen on the branches, that I may have missed. Drawing enhances seeing. 
I tried various shading techniques to capture the 3D aspect of these shells and small stone. The squint test didn't really work very well, as all three shells are white. 
I'm interested in working on more natural objects gathered from the field. The squint test is interesting, but how does it work on objects that are all white, such as these three shells?