Jennifer

I found this to be so valuable!  My final sketch already was a lot better than my first.  I can see how practicing this would help train my brain to "talk" to my sketching hand in a better way.  I plan on continuing to play with this technique.

This was challenging for me.  I found it hard to get the scale and proportions correct.  And the feet. Bird feet are hard for me.  Drawing from a picture is easier in the sense that the subject holds still, though.  I think that one thing I really want to work on is capturing the essence - the important shapes, etc., quickly in the field. So often the subjects do not hold still, so quick sketching is a valuable tool. I think I would not have noticed the amount of black and gray streaking on the wings.  If I wasn't drawing it I would have just described it as yellow with a little reddish brown.  Nature journaling really makes you pay attention to the details.