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From Woody's 2006 sketchbook (1 Viewer)

Woody

Well-known member
Since sketchbook threads seem popular I thought I'd start one of mine.

I've always been wary of sharing my sketches with others as they are personal to me and they are not always the way I'd like them to be but I'm getting less precious in my old age...

There are two types of sketch to start; The curlew sketches are very, very quickly done and all I'm trying to do with them is get an idea of the kinds of general shapes and movements that the birds make. The lapwings are an example of the kind of sketches that take a little longer and they act as a reminder to me of how birds look in the field. It's intersting how birds change shape with the weather, it was pretty chilly on Sunday when I made these drawings and while the bird was resting it seemed a rounder shape than when it was feeding. The bird itself obviously doesn't change shape but the feathers puff up in the cold and change the bird's outline.

Hope you like and I'll post more soon.

Woody
 

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Nice sketches Woody! Like the Curlew thumbnails a lot, loads of movement, great quick work.
Lapwings are tremendous also, you can tell it was cold and a little windy from the shape and posture, they seem to be leaning forward a little into that wind!
Thanks for posting, great to have your thread started here, do post more when you can...
 
Well done, Woody. My favourites (if at all relevant) are the topmost curlew (a really alive little drawing) and the lower two lapwings - it's nice when you get chance to put a bit more detail in, and you've successfully achieved this without overdrawing.
Cheers.
 
With winds gusting up to gale force, driving rain and the fact that it was my son's 17th birthday, I almost called off my sunday morning trip this week. After a hairy moment with a fallen tree across the road I arrived at Elmley marshes where the wind was ripping across the exposed ground with intensity. The only birds visible at first were flocks of starlings working low to the grass clearing up any bugs n grubs forced to the surface by the rain. Closer inspection revealed the lapwings, almost all hunkered down behind any meager shelter they could find, cowpats seemed popular!

I sketched some of the sheltering lapwings while the wind buffeted the car and decided I definately would not be walking out onto the reserve proper!

As the wind and rain eased the lapwings began to feed and they were joined by curlews which seemed to come from nowhere. After a while small groups of redshank arrived and several dunlin began scurrying about.

Later in the day the rain stopped, the wind calmed and the sun even put in a half-hearted appearance for a while but I was pleased that I'd been out to face the elements. (And even more pleased I'd stayed in the car!)

Woody
 

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Lovely page of drawings. Even without the (splendid) commentary, I can see the weather change as the day progresses, from page top to bottom. The three huddled lapwings look so miserable - thy're just perfect, then as the day 'improves' the activity in the drawings increases - well done Woody.
 
timwootton said:
Lovely page of drawings. Even without the (splendid) commentary, I can see the weather change as the day progresses, from page top to bottom. The three huddled lapwings look so miserable - thy're just perfect, then as the day 'improves' the activity in the drawings increases - well done Woody.
Thanks Tim. P'raps I'll get more time and some more luck soon and I'll be able to post something other than Lapwings!

Woody
 
Woody said:
Thanks Tim. P'raps I'll get more time and some more luck soon and I'll be able to post something other than Lapwings!

Woody
You can never have enough Lapwings Woody, keep up the good work!
 
Oystercatchers, curlews and partridges

I've been spending quite a lot of time out at Elmley during December. The weather hasn't been too good with freezing fog and grey days but in conditions like that I still get out even if I stay in the car. The oystercatchers were an irrisistable subject for sketchin in the fog as their black and white patterns stood out even in the flat light.

There have been large numbers of curlew during December so they have featured quite a lot in my sketchbook. One morning there was a heavy frost and the gold of the morning sun made fantastic patterns with the blue of the ground and the curlews stood preening and resting whilst they warmed up from the night's cold.

Another particularly obliging subject was a covey of red legged partridges on the paddock next to the farm. They were so relaxed that one of them even tucked his head under his wing and fell asleep. I'd never seen this before so a longer sketch was justified.

Happy new year to all!

Woody
 

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Another lovely group of drawings, Woody - the bottom-most curlew is exquisitely seen (as are the partridge studies). I love the character you get into these, the oystercatcher sheet is really well designed.
 
So Woody, what do you work with? I imagine you have to keep it pretty simple when you're sketching out in the field, so I'm guessing a pencil sharpened with a knife and your sketch book.... Anything else or am I wrong and you have a huge box of pencils of various hardnesses and an easel?! Any tips for wannabe sketchers?
 
Bec64 said:
So Woody, what do you work with? I imagine you have to keep it pretty simple when you're sketching out in the field, so I'm guessing a pencil sharpened with a knife and your sketch book.... Anything else or am I wrong and you have a huge box of pencils of various hardnesses and an easel?! Any tips for wannabe sketchers?
Hi Bec,
You're right first time, although I usually have two or three HB pencils on the go, saves sharpening when you've got something in your sights!

Cass arts in London do Daler, A4, hardback sketchpads for around £3 and A5 ones for 95p! That means I don't worry about wasting expensive paper with poor sketches and do more as a consequence.

As for tips, get down to Oare with a sketchbook, park in the layby at the side of the road and draw, draw, draw!

Woody
 
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