Cecilia
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Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
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Drawing at all is a challenge after not doing it in so long. Drawing from the photo was helpful because, of course, the bird is not moving, in contrast to the birds at my feeder, who dart in and out, especially the nuthatches, or the birds in the woods, who are seldom close or still. The photo made it possible to really look carefully. I can see the different parts of the wings, but I really don't know how they all fit together. This helps me identify the knowledge I need. I think if I understand and draw the structure of the wing, that will help drawing in the field -- even quick sketches. I actually loved drawing the leaves and the lichen. My frequent "interactions" with leaves and lichens probably inform my drawing. -
I've always loved to draw and write. In grade school I was in pretty high demand for my realistic pencil drawings of the Beatles, done with the help of my Magnijector, which allowed me to project their photos on my wall. After getting a degree in English lit (and birdwatching when I should have been in class), I went back to a trade school for graphic design so I could actually get a job. I was amazed at how awful my drawing was when I started, it was like I was back in 5th grade. But I was also amazed at how quickly I improved with practice and observation and good teachers. I've always had an opportunity to do art of one kind or another -- Shakespeare costume design, poster design, quilting, but my drawing is back to 5th grade again. I am fortunate enough to live in a town (Arden, Delaware) surrounded by woods, and I love my daily walks, taking photos with my iPhone, often just details, like the patterns in a mushroom (see the photo) or frogs disappearing into their background. I would most like to express the beauty of our Arden Woods.
Many, many thanks to the journal makers in that great sampler video. They were all inspiring. I loved Shayna Muller's boxes and it was inspiring seeing Margaret Corbit's drawing evolve as she captured the hummingbirds' hover. I could almost feel the wind beneath their outstretched wings. The journal that spoke most to me was Holly Faulkner's. I love her organization by day or month and her obvious love of typography, along with her exquisite drawings, of course. But the graphic design — the combination of image and text — I found that approach inspiring.
But enough writing, and on to drawing. Today I opened my sketchbook and headed for my favorite autumn mums, but stopped before I got there and sat down and drew a single leaf from the hardy begonia on my porch. I am looking forward to learning how to use watercolor, because that would be so much better for capturing the color and texture. Also, I should sharpen my pencils.
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Amy, I just read your post on exploring birds with your students. I tutored reading comprehension and also worked with my son, who had a learning disability. My main tool was the Lindamood-Bell program, Visualizing and Verbalizing, which you may be familia with. The thing is, I found that my students with comprehension problems had difficulty sorting information -- everything they learned in school kinda went into the Big Box of Right Answers, which was such a jumble they could never retrieve what they had learned and often gave very bizarre answers on tests because they would retrieve the right answer to SOMETHING. (Mammals have wings and lay eggs.) I found that any kind of sorting, any kind of close observation and the labeling of parts often just flipped a switch for these students, and they started recalling information, adding vocabulary. I had students sort a silverware drawer, sort buttons. But the best was birdwatching or identifying flowers and trees. When "bird" just means a big blur of flying things, a lot of other things are blurs as well. But when you start to see a cardinal, a robin, a house sparrow vs. a song sparrow, a pine siskin, the world comes into sharper focus. You see color, size, special feathers (outer tail coverts), beaks, behavior. You hear songs and calls that are distinct. Of course, discovering birds is a joy in itself. But the way it opens up learning is also quite magical. All the best to you and your students during this strange and difficult time. Cecilia from Arden, Delaware
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I am blown away by your dragonfly, the patterns, the textures, the polkadots of your collage! I just started the course, and have only seen the videos of other people and their journaling. Haven’t started any journaling of my own. That will have to wait until tomorrow. But your dragonfly has really flown out of the box and inspired me. I hope you post more. ~Cecilia
Drawing at all is a challenge after not doing it in so long. Drawing from the photo was helpful because, of course, the bird is not moving, in contrast to the birds at my feeder, who dart in and out, especially the nuthatches, or the birds in the woods, who are seldom close or still. The photo made it possible to really look carefully. I can see the different parts of the wings, but I really don't know how they all fit together. This helps me identify the knowledge I need. I think if I understand and draw the structure of the wing, that will help drawing in the field -- even quick sketches. I actually loved drawing the leaves and the lichen. My frequent "interactions" with leaves and lichens probably inform my drawing. 
I've always loved to draw and write. In grade school I was in pretty high demand for my realistic pencil drawings of the Beatles, done with the help of my Magnijector, which allowed me to project their photos on my wall. After getting a degree in English lit (and birdwatching when I should have been in class), I went back to a trade school for graphic design so I could actually get a job. I was amazed at how awful my drawing was when I started, it was like I was back in 5th grade. But I was also amazed at how quickly I improved with practice and observation and good teachers. I've always had an opportunity to do art of one kind or another -- Shakespeare costume design, poster design, quilting, but my drawing is back to 5th grade again. I am fortunate enough to live in a town (Arden, Delaware) surrounded by woods, and I love my daily walks, taking photos with my iPhone, often just details, like the patterns in a mushroom (see the photo) 
or frogs disappearing into their background. I would most like to express the beauty of our Arden Woods.
Many, many thanks to the journal makers in that great sampler video. They were all inspiring. I loved Shayna Muller's boxes and it was inspiring seeing Margaret Corbit's drawing evolve as she captured the hummingbirds' hover. I could almost feel the wind beneath their outstretched wings. The journal that spoke most to me was Holly Faulkner's. I love her organization by day or month and her obvious love of typography, along with her exquisite drawings, of course. But the graphic design — the combination of image and text — I found that approach inspiring.
But enough writing, and on to drawing. Today I opened my sketchbook and headed for my favorite autumn mums, but stopped before I got there and sat down and drew a single leaf from the hardy begonia on my porch. I am looking forward to learning how to use watercolor, because that would be so much better for capturing the color and texture. Also, I should sharpen my pencils. Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)