• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Sketching/painting birds- any interest? (1 Viewer)

I think there are two schools of thought regarding sketching from photos: One that it's a complete no-no, another that's it's perfectly ok. I subscribe to the latter - I see no harm in it, as long as you can avoid the subject looking too flat and lifeless - even though I prefer to sketch from life whenever possible.

I would like to see a dedicated sketching/painting section, plus one to discuss artists here on this forum...any chance mods? Please...? :bounce:

The Surfbirds site mentioned above has an excellent page dedicated to sketches: http://www.surfbirds.com/Sketchbook /skindex.html is the link for that.


I seem to start lots of drawings but never finish them as the bird always moves!! I wonder how others tackle 'real life' sketching?


More or less exactly the same way, Den. I did read a good piece of advice in John Busby's "Drawing Birds" and that is to sketch the birds, although you will only get bits and pieces at first, it will get easier as you get quicker and more practised.

I met Ian Lewington (one of my favourite artists) at the Bird Fair a few years ago, and he told me the key to it is lots of practice! Even people like him have to constantly practice.
 
Last edited:
yes, i agree, practice is the key word here. At first, i had many problems getting the feather effect, or getting the birds feathers to go in a certain direction but after many many hours and canvases, i am getting there. I have loved drawing, sketching, and painting for a long time but have only done it seriously for a couple of months. (this is embarassing but i don't know how to upload piccies so i can't show you some of the work, i tried to upload a barny i did but i didn't come out. So i will just have to tell you about them instead hehehehehehehe. I have just finished a LEO and the next one the list is the siberian eagle owl then i am going to do that lovely little owl picture sitting the oak tree, taken by ed78user. fab shot that is!!
bubobubo
 
hi guys not sure if this is going to work. you will have to excuse my lack of knowledge about computers etc. but if this works here is the LEO in question, i have the final touches now (such as the details of branches etc to do). Owls are just such fun to paint, but my personal opinion is if you mess up the eyes then the whole picture is a no no!!.
bubobubo
 

Attachments

  • LEO.jpg
    LEO.jpg
    95.8 KB · Views: 372
Den said:
... Is there any interest out there? ...

Oh yes, there is. This thread nicely mirrors one i was going to put up along the lines of 'Any tips ...' as it's something i'd really like to get to grips with but just not sure how.

My sketchings, well it's just not happening. :h?: :h?:
 
Good Idea

I'm another person in favour of such a forum. I take pictures of birds through the scope, and paint them. I have previously just painted from books, but I prefer to paint something I have actually seen in a place I know.

Chris
 
Woody said:
I don't usually share my sketchpads but since we are talking about sketching through a scope....

I was off work ill on tuesday and spent some of the afternoon in the conservatory with the scope sketching the sparrows in the garden. Here are some of the results.

Some of the sketches are 'better' than others but IMHO it doesn't matter. What matters is experiencing the birds and sketching makes you observe closely. It's all 'grist for the mill' when it comes to producing a finished work whether you work from photos or not.

Woody

Wow! Woody how do you do that!! How do you draw so detailed and so quickly?

I myself can draw rather brilliantly when the subject is stuffed or a photo, but real life I just dont get enough details down before the bird moves and it is hard for me to imagine what the birds markings look like in other poses.

Well anyway my hats off to you Woody!
 
nightheron28 said:
Wow! Woody how do you do that!! How do you draw so detailed and so quickly?

I myself can draw rather brilliantly when the subject is stuffed or a photo, but real life I just dont get enough details down before the bird moves and it is hard for me to imagine what the birds markings look like in other poses.

Well anyway my hats off to you Woody!

Thank you.

Sketching through a scope is a skill I'm slowly learning as I've only had my scope just over a year.

These spuggies were sitting in some leylandii (sp?) in my neighbours' garden. It was a hot day and they would rest for a few minutes then all fly off, only to return a few minutes later.

I think there are about 30 birds in this group at the moment, including all the youngsters, so if one bird moved there was another in a similar pose that I could work from. I am pretty familiar with sparrows and that helps a lot when drawing them, the more I draw them the more familiar I get so, with luck, my sketches should get more accurate as I do more.

The bird in flight is more guesswork than anything but the pose was the 'impression' I got as one of the birds took off from the tree. I watched the bird then closed my eyes for a few seconds and tried to 'fix' the image in my mind then drew from that and familiarity.

It was a great afternoon, topped off by a male sparrowhawk (a garden first!) and two flyovers by a hobby, one of which was a chase!

Woody
o:)
 
Den said:
Hello all!

I enjoy sketching the birds I see. I am not very good at it but strive to improve and I've found some good websites like surfbirds.com . There does not seem to be a forum on BF catering for people who enjoy this sort of activity. Is there any interest out there?
I really enjoy action sketches of the birds seen through the scope as a way of really looking at birds. I seen to learn a lot more about the bird when I draw it.
I've photographed birds for many years but I seen to derive a greater pleasure from trying to draw and paint them lately (and its cheaper!!).

Iam a landscape painter but am getting more interested in birds and want to start painting them. Any advice.
Any interest in s.wales.Any groups?clubs out there? A bird art forum sounds ok although I am new to all this web stuff.Cant stand these irritating little icons :gn:
 
I enjoyed reading the comments on this thread. I am trying to draw more birds from life rather than from photos or field guides. I prefer to use #2 pencils to sketch and then complete using colored pencils. I do sometimes sketch a bird that is sedentary by viewing it through my scope but I believe my better efforts are obtained when I am sitting at a table and viewing some birds which come to our bird feeders. They are normally there longer than they would be when I am out in the field. Therefore I can take more time with my sketches. I still seem to get better results working from a photo though, rather than trying to get a good drawing of a 'live" bird which is moving about.
 
I also draw birds, but now only occassionally.

I find drawing a bird from life or at least TV invaluable. First I copied birds from illustrations (probably most people do it!). But I think it was the dead end. Birds look flat and it was difficult to do more than typical "bird from the side perching" composition.

I started skretching from memory, TV, zoo birds etc. and it is much better. And best was when I attended general drawing lessons for a few months. I only drawn humans, but advice was fit for birds, too.

I most like hunched or preening birds. They move different parts of body, and suddenly completely new shapes and colors appear.

Surprisingly, but, most of the best bird pictures I saw were drawn by falconers. Whatever I think about falconry, they paint simply great. Probably because they study their falcons every day.
 
wpj said:
Iam a landscape painter but am getting more interested in birds and want to start painting them. Any advice.
Any interest in s.wales.Any groups?clubs out there? A bird art forum sounds ok although I am new to all this web stuff.Cant stand these irritating little icons :gn:

Hehehe! Paint rare birds, so the birders will be happy ;)
 
Just come back from sketching at my local resevoir. Tried out a Pentel 0.9mm automatic pencil. Much better than the 0.7mm 2B I've used for years. Seems to glide over the 'tooth' on my paper. I've also been experimenting with Karisma Aquarelle graphite water-soluble pencils this summer. Nice for getting quick tonal sketches of the light on a bird. I used to use 4B normal pencils before discovering'the easier to use and fuss-free Pentels.
Did anyone else meet the sketchers guru (Lars Jonsson) at the Bird Fair. A nice bloke. Met him in the art marquee on the Sat. He always uses watercolour paper for sketching on. I suppose he can afford to!
 
I met Lars Jonsson as well at the bird fair. A nice bloke as you say, and signed my "Treasures of the Forgotten Forest", too. I will never throw away the old biro of mine that he used to sign the book with (I marked it with an Oriental Bird Club sticker, so I will always know it!)...
 
Yeah I really want to improve my ability to quickly sketch a bird in the field and be able to get enough details to do a finished painting from these sketches.

Every attempt so far has failed miserably.

I guess the biggest problem is the birds move so much it is hard for me to lock in my brain on one pose and completely draw it on paper.

I try to keep sketches very simple drawing the largest shapes of the bird first, egg shapes, then I start to draw the others.

Somehow this just isnt quick enough.

Is it just a matter of practice makes perfect?

Thanks!
 
I am in much the same position. I get problems because the bird moves so quickly and I can't seem to catch it quickly enough, or lock the image in my brain.
 
Chris 3871, I like your idea of digiscoping for the purpose of painting later on from the photos. I always feel self-conscious when in a hide, drawing through a scope, with others around.
 
I do, too, Den. But then I forget about others and just concentrate on the birds.
Did some sketches of Canada Geese at Lower Test Marshes (Southampton) yesterday and am pleased. I'll scan 'em in if anyone wants to look.

Nightheron, I am just going to practise and practise. It is easier when you first sketch larger, less active birds, such as geese, etc. I also tried to sketch a Little Egret that was present at the marshes yesterday, but it was so active it was very difficult, and I had forgotten to bring my digital camera along, so couldn't photograph him for later reference!

I prefer to sketch from life, but see no harm in sketching and painting from digital images either.
 
I would love a forum on this, I just joined today and found this thread and I was so pleased. Ive just ordered a book on drawing birds. I used to use photos but am now trying to draw from life but I too find they move so fast! I want to paint my birds as well as draw them. Woody your drawings are great. Something to aspire to. Im lucky to have the bird feeders right by the window.
 
chris3871 said:
I'm another person in favour of such a forum. I take pictures of birds through the scope, and paint them. I have previously just painted from books, but I prefer to paint something I have actually seen in a place I know.

Chris

I agree with you Chris. I've just spent time at the RSPB Old Moor Reserve drawing Egrets and Waders. I feel more motivated drawing and painting birds I see through the scope. I spent many, many years photographing them which was rewarding but not relaxing. As I developed my drawing, I found I enjoyed my birding more. I did not get frustrated when I could not get close to a bird to fill the frame with the camera. I get much more satisfation using a simple sketchbook and pencil approach and leaving most of the technical junk at home.
 
I like most to skretch moving birds. If they move, I can quickly skretch the idea. Then I fill every part - head, wings, tail bit by bit.

Also, after some minutes of looking at the bird I remember them in 3D. I can make a skretch - and again, fill details bit by bit from birds in other positions or from pics.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 19 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top