Marta
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Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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Proportion and negative space were both quite challenging at my first attempts; now I feel they are really helpful and, bit by bit, I'm getting better at using it :)
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Upside-down drawing was fun, difficult, challenging and surprising. At first, I thought I would not be able to make it, as it looked kind of confusing to the eyes. But I wanted to try it, so I started in the foot area, down to the head. It took me some time to get the angles and lines right. When I was happy about it, I moved to the belly area - and those shapes were difficult! I draw them once, and they didn't look nice; I erased them, took another try and... I was able to do it!! Overall, I think that I forgot that I was drawing a bird, and focused on the lines, shapes and proportions.
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I went outside, at first, to practice measuring proportions using my pencil. It worked, helping me to balance the pond size and configuration, as well as the bench. Then I practiced indoor, using a still from the video provided here. While outdoor, I think didn't notice negative space as much as drawing the second time, indoors. I realize these are techniques I must keep on practicing. The negative space helped me a lot, while drawing the "Pink Lady's Slipper" flower.
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Gesture drawing is helpful, hard and fun, all at the same time. I'm learning to draw the "idea" and not worrying with details. I noticed contour, movement and specific details.
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This was a fun exercise! I was surprised by the results (it made me feel close to a 5 year old child drawing :)
It helped me stay focused on my subject, yet I had to resist the temptation to look down at the paper. I tried this a few times, to see which was the best starting point. The hardest subject to draw seemed to be the springbok. I got the feeling that, overall, this exercise improves with drawing and drawing...!
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I choose two "mates", that stand in the park for as long I remember. They are: a Gingko biloba tree and a Hibiscus bush, with light pink flowers. But... I wasn't sure about the name of the flowers (!). Then I checked: hibiscus. It's autumn and the flowers are blossoming, in a beautiful pink and green composition; I could see fully blossomed flowers and about-to-blossom ones. I had never looked at these flowers with such a detail. I was marveled by the delicate petals and the five dark pink dots, every flower has. I am curious to search for more scientific information, about hibiscus. I had searched for Gingko biloba, in the past. Yet, comparing it's leafs with the hibiscus petals was an interesting exercise. Also, it allowed me to look closer at the colors of the leafs, texture and how smooth they are.
Balancing drawing and writing is something I'm still learning; I don't think I have found my style yet, although I usually prefer to draw in one page and write on the adjacent one, if possible. In this exercise, I draw and wrote notes on the same page. I haven't used colors yet, as I's like to know more, before I use them.
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I went to the park for a walk, and looked for examples of scale, quantity and changes. I was amazed how different locations, in the park, host a different number of pine trees! Birds seem to prefer the more quite area, as they fly away when I approach carefully. Taking a close look at those pine trees, I was surprised to see different shape and size cones and realized I needed to do some research about pine trees reproductive cycle! Some questions came to my mind: why do some trees have so much more mature cones than others? Maybe the wind has influence? How long does a mature cone takes to take shape? Female cones seem to grow mostly in the upper branches; does that happen always?
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This was my first sit spot experience. I sat in a city park close by, in a windy morning. Sounds came more easily; with time, I started to notice more details of light/ shadow/ dark in trees, birds, vegetation... Birds moved, so it was challenging to draw them. After sitting still & drawing for about an hour, I walked a bit and passed by a big pine tree. I've seen this tree several times before. But for the first time I looked at it with different eyes, which made me want to come back again, sit still and draw it!
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I loved to learn the mark-making techniques, the value scale, squint test and chiaroscuro. I'm fascinated by how much ligh and dark can transform a drawing that, at first, looks "plain" (not 3D)! I need to practice light/ dark more, though! I find it much easier with sunlight, during the day, than drawing at night with artificial light; that's what happened with this banana. I'll give it another try, during the day :)
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Drawing from the photo seemed easier at first. I tried to use the circle/ egg shape suggestion from the earlier video. I like the result, although my bird looks a bit fatter! The beak is quite difficult! If I wasn't asked to draw, I probably wouldn't have noticed it in detail. Drawing makes me look at things in another way; a better way; and it makes me want to stay "there", drawing and drawing...
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Hello to all nature journalists! I'm new to nature journalism; I took a watercolor short course a couple of years ago and then started to draw in nature, but in non organized way. And without writing, taking notes, ... So, (1) I'd like to learn new techniques, and try them also in drawing birds (2) explore new ways of using the page (for now I prefer not to fill it in with lots of details; I like the idea of drawing in one side, and writing in the opposite page... although I admire Liz and those journalers in the video that draw amazingly and use so much of the space!) and (3) I sometimes use a separate sheet of paper to test the color (because I have doubts if it's what I'm looking for).
Upside-down drawing was fun, difficult, challenging and surprising. At first, I thought I would not be able to make it, as it looked kind of confusing to the eyes. But I wanted to try it, so I started in the foot area, down to the head. It took me some time to get the angles and lines right. When I was happy about it, I moved to the belly area - and those shapes were difficult! I draw them once, and they didn't look nice; I erased them, took another try and... I was able to do it!! Overall, I think that I forgot that I was drawing a bird, and focused on the lines, shapes and proportions. 
I went outside, at first, to practice measuring proportions using my pencil. It worked, helping me to balance the pond size and configuration, as well as the bench. Then I practiced indoor, using a still from the video provided here. While outdoor, I think didn't notice negative space as much as drawing the second time, indoors. I realize these are techniques I must keep on practicing. The negative space helped me a lot, while drawing the "Pink Lady's Slipper" flower. 
Gesture drawing is helpful, hard and fun, all at the same time. I'm learning to draw the "idea" and not worrying with details. I noticed contour, movement and specific details. 
This was a fun exercise! I was surprised by the results (it made me feel close to a 5 year old child drawing :)
It helped me stay focused on my subject, yet I had to resist the temptation to look down at the paper. I tried this a few times, to see which was the best starting point. The hardest subject to draw seemed to be the springbok. I got the feeling that, overall, this exercise improves with drawing and drawing...! 
I choose two "mates", that stand in the park for as long I remember. They are: a Gingko biloba tree and a Hibiscus bush, with light pink flowers. But... I wasn't sure about the name of the flowers (!). Then I checked: hibiscus. It's autumn and the flowers are blossoming, in a beautiful pink and green composition; I could see fully blossomed flowers and about-to-blossom ones. I had never looked at these flowers with such a detail. I was marveled by the delicate petals and the five dark pink dots, every flower has. I am curious to search for more scientific information, about hibiscus. I had searched for Gingko biloba, in the past. Yet, comparing it's leafs with the hibiscus petals was an interesting exercise. Also, it allowed me to look closer at the colors of the leafs, texture and how smooth they are.
Balancing drawing and writing is something I'm still learning; I don't think I have found my style yet, although I usually prefer to draw in one page and write on the adjacent one, if possible. In this exercise, I draw and wrote notes on the same page. I haven't used colors yet, as I's like to know more, before I use them. 
This was my first sit spot experience. I sat in a city park close by, in a windy morning. Sounds came more easily; with time, I started to notice more details of light/ shadow/ dark in trees, birds, vegetation... Birds moved, so it was challenging to draw them. After sitting still & drawing for about an hour, I walked a bit and passed by a big pine tree. I've seen this tree several times before. But for the first time I looked at it with different eyes, which made me want to come back again, sit still and draw it! 
I loved to learn the mark-making techniques, the value scale, squint test and chiaroscuro. I'm fascinated by how much ligh and dark can transform a drawing that, at first, looks "plain" (not 3D)! I need to practice light/ dark more, though! I find it much easier with sunlight, during the day, than drawing at night with artificial light; that's what happened with this banana. I'll give it another try, during the day :) 
Drawing from the photo seemed easier at first. I tried to use the circle/ egg shape suggestion from the earlier video. I like the result, although my bird looks a bit fatter! The beak is quite difficult! If I wasn't asked to draw, I probably wouldn't have noticed it in detail. Drawing makes me look at things in another way; a better way; and it makes me want to stay "there", drawing and drawing... Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)