Edith

From Nov 15-25 I worked on a comparison study of 2 main species of duck- American black ducks and hooded mergansers  that have arrived to a local marsh over the past 2-3 weeks. I started taking the journal outside with the "sit spot" observation, then took it to several marsh area ponds where I found the ducks over several succeeding days. I learned a lot about how ducks feed and behave. Am. Blacks are rather sedentary and feed on the shorelines by ducking their heads or tipping up. They have broad flatish beaks. The hooded mergansers are 1/2-2/3 the size, are much more active, swimming extremely fast and diving for food further from shore frequently staying down 10-20 seconds and maybe more. Their beaks are small, long and narrow- maybe more functional for diving, catching and eating fish. They are more difficult to observe, seldom seen still, rarely sit on land,  generally stay further away more often feeding in the middle of water bodies. I did most of the writing and outline drawing outside  which makes the journal pages seem messy and unbalanced. Inside, I painted successively closer views of the ducks to try to capture some of the differences in form, function and behavior. I have never painted landscapes, when I tried,  I had no place to write. I will work on page balance. I will upload 3 images if it works: the sit spot; the duck comparison done outside, and the inside page done on 3 successive days.   ' I can't imagine dealing with the watercolor set outside. Maybe with a little luck and experimentation I will figure it out by spring. I am very much enjoying this course and seeing all of the beautiful and interesting work that the students are doing in their journals. It is eye-opening! Edith

I tried to work on dark and light on various objects I found to draw. I feel like I understand light and shadow better, but it is an ongoing process. I am very much enjoying seeing everyone's work on such a huge variety of subjects. It is helpful and "enlightening". Edirh

I got a bit of a late start with this course and did not realize that there was a whole interactive part. I have enjoyed seeing and reading all the great responses to doing this exercise. I will have to do this course a a slower speed than others. Hope this is OK.