If you have a camera, why would you want to draw or paint a bird? With a camera you can capture all the details you need. Why learn how to draw?
When you are drawing, you concentrate on every detail of what you are looking at – the colors, the texture, the shapes, the depth, the values. And when I drew the bird (it’s going to be a cardinal – wait until I apply the paint), I learned about how the head, body, tail and feet are shaped. And I had to think about how to present the textures of the feathers.
Look forward to showing you the finished painting. Oh, and another reason to draw is your daughter (or son) might then take out her own piece of paper and draw her own bird. I just might show you the bird that my daughter drew as well.
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What a lovely drawing and I’ll look forward to the painting as well as to your daughter’s drawing.
I love it! Wish I had that talent but I can appreciate and admire it instead. Love that your daughter also has the gift.
As I explained to my daughter, much of it is hard work. I’ve spent many years working at capturing “likeness” in my art. If you never studied math, you wouldn’t be “talented” at math, either.
You just keep looking and putting down what you see with your pencil. Then you look at other people’s drawings, and you see how they limited their pencil strokes. I was partly inspired by a book on Chinese painting.
Nice sketch work. I can’t wait to see the final result. I knew it was a cardinal…they are very distinct…and you captured that.
“I knew it was a cardinal” – you do know your birds!
LOL, yes I DO!!! The plume on the head is a giveaway, you know.
Wonderful drawing! You are talented!
This was a perfect post for me to read this morning. It has been on my mind to try to sketch and to keep a better nature journal. I have already beey looking at books and trying…a little. Am traveling all winter, but heading home tomorrow, and first on my list of things to do is head to the library for a few books to help me! Thanks for the inspiration! ~karen
That’s a neat way to learn more about something. Good idea.
And I am looking forward to seeing these two birds: your painted one and your daughter’s.
Someday I may learn to draw, Leora. Someday. Meanwhile, I’m discovering that photography is making me more observant of what’s going on in nature! 🙂
I haven’t done any sketching in a long time. This one of yours makes me want to reach for my pencils. It’s beautiful Leora and I look forward to seeing your painting and that of your daughter’s.
I wish I had an Art gene. Born without it, I’m afraid.
But if you had studied art in school the way you studied math, I bet you would be able to draw, too. Even if you aren’t a math genius.
You obviously have a skilled hand. «Louis» looks forward to seeing the finished results. Mme la Vache loves birds, so she’s interested in seeing the painted bird.
The drawing by your daughter in the previous post delighted both «Louis» et Mme la Vache, so they hope you’ll show the bird she drew as well!
😉
I love the sketch, and can’t wait to see the finished painting. I can see from your explanation how drawing demands a kind of mindfulness that is absent in photography. I wish I had the skill.
“how drawing demands a kind of mindfulness that is absent in photography”
– thank you, beautifully expressed!
Spot on with the cardinal. That head and bill are right on… I am so happy that someone (you) is submitting artwork for Nature Notes as I wanted it to be more than photos…. Michelle