Amie

At first I really found this lesson enjoyable. But then about halfway through I realized that some of my proportions were really off. I got rather frustrated and and wanted to erase half of what I had done. Then my husband reminded me that this is a learning process and I should just finish it. I can always go back and try it again later, continuing to improve with each try. I stepped away from it for a couple months, then came back and finished it. Overall once I was done I am really happy with the results.

I got to watch this little mallard family at a lake not far from my house. Although I often see mallards there I think this was the first family sighting. The ducklings stayed so tightly clustered together that they were impossible to count. I would think they stay so close for safety.  I also started to wonder if staying directly behind the mama also helps cut the current making easier for them to swim (they were swimming under the dam against the current which can get pretty strong at times,  I've seen a small turtle get swept away). Ps.  If this posts twice I apologize, I tried posting and it read error so I re posted.

I always draw from a reference photo so there is no change there for me. I usually draw either flowers, butterflies, or comic book characters so the bird itself was something new.  I gave myself an hour time limit because I know that in nature I won't have unlimited time with subject.   So, leaving it as a sketch instead of a finished drawing was in itself a challenge for me. If I had taken a photo of the bird instead of taking the time to draw it I would not have noticed that the lower beak seems thicker than the upper half of the beak.