I kept nature journals many years ago in college natural history classes and loved doing it. Now that I am retired from workaday life, I finally have some time to get back to it. I like drawing but don't have much experience with painting, so I think using watercolors is a simple way to start painting to enhance my nature journal.
I will definitely include date/time/weather/location info to document the reference information of my journal entries.
There was a great variety in the journals in the videos. I think as I progress i will learn what techniques are most suitable for me.
1. My biggest challenge in drawing from the photo was getting the proportions of the warbler correct. Something to continue working on. Coloring with the water colors was fairly easy, especially since this is really my first time working with watercolors in a serious way.
2. I needed to pay much more attention to the detail in the coloration of the feathers than I would have if I was not drawing from the photo. This would make a difference if I was drawing a live bird that was standing still, which is not usually the case. Drawing from real life subjects has to be much quicker and with less detail, before the bird flies away.