Karen

1   I'm wondering why it is much easier for me to accurately draw a birds head when the beak is pointed left than when it's pointed right.    I'm curious if anyone else finds this challenging.

1. I have always been intimidated by art of any kind.   Last year I took a year long birding class where I was required to submit field sketches in my homework.   My initial sketches were poorly constructed stick figures that didn't resemble what I was seeing in any way.    With the threat of future humiliation looming, I went online to find how to draw bird videos and came across classes by John Muir Laws.    After working with a single video, my drawing improved enough that my results at least resembled a bird.  I played a bit with learning bird identification through drawing and have found myself actually enjoying the art.   Between the birding class and the art classes,  I learned that, despite loving learning, the outdoors, and nature, I have simply not been curious enough.    I'd like to expand my skills to landscapes, plants, and animals as a way to deepen my connection to and understanding of the natural world. 2.   I liked several of the journaling approaches.    Sketching the outlines of birds and bird postures would finally take me outside to expand on my limited skills in a way that wouldn't be so intimidating.     The use of the journal to solidify something I'm studying really fits with my ultimate goals.   I've been trying to learn the differences between my local trees, and this type of journaling would solidify what I'm learning.    The monthly journal page and beautiful watercolor memories of Liz's journal pages are more of a long term dream goal for me. 3  Ha ha that would be a very long term dream.   Being confident enough in what I'm doing to begin to see my own creativity emerge has always felt like an impossibility.