Kathleen
Forum Replies Created
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KathleenParticipantGesture drawing really helps one feel the movement and the spirit of the subject! For that reason, I think gesture drawings are important to do before a prolonged drawing.in reply to: Capturing Behavior – Gesture Drawing #800797
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KathleenParticipantVery good exercise for focusing on the subject! I superimposed each contour drawing on top of the other, using colors of the subject that were harmonious with each other. The copper for the tropical bird didn't work, though, and looks grey. The outcome is a playful abstract design - and within the design one can see suggestions of a head-horn-ears, tail, and feet....Lots of fun!in reply to: Focusing on Your Subject – Blind Contour Drawing #800755
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KathleenParticipantFor my nature theme, I chose form & function.in reply to: Noticing Themes in Nature #800322
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KathleenParticipant1) I have been participating in Project FeederWatch and so I sit often at a window where I oversee an area with 9 feeders. Many squirrels come, too, which is why it's fun to have a journal entry about them. As noted, these squirrels come regularly, but there have been uncommon visitors like the Pileated Woodpecker. That was a thrill because he/she was so big and looked so much like a dinosaur bird! 2) Artistic observations come easily and scientific observations come rather easily as well - but dispassionate ones do not. The hawk who comes occasionally always scares me because I feel very protective of the birds I encourage into the feeding area. I run out and clap at him/her, so he/she flies away....in reply to: Opening Your Senses #799527
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KathleenParticipantThis drawing I did of a fawn shows three dimensional effects - including the reflected light as the jaw turns under the head and the cast shadow of the head on the neck. I was careful to draw in the direction of the form. The original drawing is a little more distinct and the darks are darker. The scanner lightened and blurred the drawing a little. I'm sorry don't have Photoshop now to correct it.in reply to: Illustrating the 3D World #798552
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KathleenParticipantI enjoyed drawing from the photo. What came most easily was that the bird stayed nice and still! The angles of the legs and the way the feet wrap around the branch was the most challenging and also what I might not have noticed if I hadn't drawn it. And yes, this would make a difference when nature journaling....in reply to: Jump Right in! #798544
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KathleenParticipantActivity 1: I watched the Cornell Bird Feeder Cam and saw a number of birds that frequent my feeders in southeastern Michigan. The chickadees and titmice grabbed something to eat and flew away quickly. I read that the chickadees like to store food, which is one of the reasons they don't stay to eat. The white-breasted nuthatch spent a few minutes eating and then flew away. The downy woodpecker pecked steadily at the suet for several minutes and then flew away. The starlings stayed a little longer, eating seeds constantly. The Mourning Dove stayed the longest and ate very steadily. The dove's behavior was very docile and he/she shared the space easily with the smaller birds - who all seemed unconcerned about the presence of the larger bird. I read that doves fill their 'crops' and then fly away to digest while resting. Activity 2: I watched the Ontario Bird Feeder Cam, where I saw birds that frequent my feeder in southeastern Michigan, as well. Once again, the Chickadee was remarkably fast at grabbing food and leaving. The red-breasted Nuthatch spent a little more time but also left relatively quickly. Activity 3: I listened to the dawn chorus in a forest in central New York. The photo was quite lovely - I think it was of the beaver pond. The recording of the dawn chorus was really beautiful but I did not recognize any bird songs.in reply to: Activities: Noticing Behaviors #793177
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KathleenParticipantActivity 1: Blue Jays and Starlings are in trees outside my window, now. The jays often have a prominent crest and have a more slender overall shape with medium to long tails. The starlings have no crest and tend to have a fuller body with a short tail. Activity 2: The male Downy Woodpecker, the female & male Pileated Woodpeckers, and the female & male Red-bellied Woodpeckers all have red in varying places on their heads. The male Downy has a small red cap on the back of his head. The male and female Pileated Woodpeckers both have large prominent red crests but the male is the only one with a red malar. The male and female Red-bellied Woodpeckers both have subtle areas of red on their bellies. The male has red on his crown and nape, but the female only has red on the nape of her neck. Activity 3: The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird is among my favorites. The hummingbird is so spectacular that I always feel a little as if I have been visited by an angel! My description is as follows: SIZE - tiny - the smallest of birds; SHAPE - long, thin bill, spherical body shape, long wings, relatively short tail, COLOR & PATTERN - bright red throat, black mask, green crown and bright metallic green on upper parts, white belly; BEHAVIOR - hovers to feed on flowers; solitary and aggressive toward other hummingbirds; female cares for offspring in nest; HABITAT - primarily woodland, but visits gardens often; RANGE - throughout eastern U.S. but mainly in Florida and Mexico in the winter; SOUNDS - males chirp early in the morning; both males and females make humming sounds.in reply to: Activities: Bird ID Practice #786052