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May Sketchathon! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter buzzard12
- Start date
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
PWG
Well-known member
Well as it's getting to the end of the month thought I'd sneak a few more in. Unfortunately I spent most of the day on Saturday dodging the rain. I managed to get back to Lakenheath and Weeting for a quick day trip which for me was well worth it with some reasonable views of good birds. With the exception of the Grasshopper Warbler which was extremely obliging didn't get chance to sketch much from Lakenheath. Weeting was a little better though mostly ended up with bits of birds, and a rabbit's head.
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timwootton
Well-known member
You've really got something going here Paul -in particular the bottom study on the first page is really excellent. Great choice of pose - a difficult one too, and sensitively handled. Hope you keep it up well after May has been and gone. Well done, really.
nickderry
C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.
It seems you've got a lot out of these observations, drawing from life forces you to look more intently at the bird and consequently you see more. One tip I'd like to give, if I may. Before getting the detail on the bird, try and get a solid outline first, an understanding of the bird's anatomy is very important. Your stone curlews have a good solid shape, whereas the warblers have some very acutely observed detail which gets a little lost not having defining boundaries. This tip worked for me, but of course everyone is different and the great thing about art is not following the 'rules' that we were taught at school. Keep sketching, I'm sure you're already finding it rewarding and I for one am enjoying watching your progress immensely. Great stuff!
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
Nice drawings Paul and some good advice from Nick
Woody
Well-known member
Everyone's been posting some great stuff, too much for me to comment on it all, suffice to say, I've not seen anything on this thread that I've not appreciated. There's some great talent here on BF.
Hopefully I'll add some more of my scratchings by the end of the day as it's the end of May.
Woody
Hopefully I'll add some more of my scratchings by the end of the day as it's the end of May.
Woody
Woody
Well-known member
I've been quiet - I've been suffering from a crisis of confidence for a couple of weeks but I think it's passed now.
So here are the last couple for may. The weather has been awful so my opportunities have been limited but the garden is always there!
It has been fascinating to watch our resident woodpigeons 'getting it on' mostly on my back wall! We named our pigeon 'Dyson' on account of the way he hoovers food from the feeders.
Starlings have been numerous to say the least. We've had up to about 30, mostly youngsters, clamouring in the garden, shouting to get a feed.
The sad news is that, on saturday, I found the badly mangled corpse of an adult little owl on the road right by 'my' little owl stump. I think the star of 'a little sun' has gone to the happy hunting grounds. Still, not being one to pass up an opportunity, I've done a couple of studies from the best remaining bits.
Woody
So here are the last couple for may. The weather has been awful so my opportunities have been limited but the garden is always there!
It has been fascinating to watch our resident woodpigeons 'getting it on' mostly on my back wall! We named our pigeon 'Dyson' on account of the way he hoovers food from the feeders.
Starlings have been numerous to say the least. We've had up to about 30, mostly youngsters, clamouring in the garden, shouting to get a feed.
The sad news is that, on saturday, I found the badly mangled corpse of an adult little owl on the road right by 'my' little owl stump. I think the star of 'a little sun' has gone to the happy hunting grounds. Still, not being one to pass up an opportunity, I've done a couple of studies from the best remaining bits.
Woody
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timwootton
Well-known member
Wow, Woody - if this is the result of a lack of confidence, I wonder what your drawings will be like when you get some confidence back - the first woodpigeon stood out as i opened it, but my, oh my - the starling page is simply stunning. The character and use of definite linework is exceptional - brilliant drawings!!!
The life studies are wonderful, too.
The life studies are wonderful, too.
timwootton
Well-known member
Last lap and into the stadium . . .
The last day of May has arrived (happy birthday to Jez, my youngest brother) and I thought I'd make the effort to get out and make a drawing or two. The divers are from a trip to Hoy, earlier in the month. The colour sketch was made immediately on my return to the studio . . .
The last day of May has arrived (happy birthday to Jez, my youngest brother) and I thought I'd make the effort to get out and make a drawing or two. The divers are from a trip to Hoy, earlier in the month. The colour sketch was made immediately on my return to the studio . . .
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timwootton
Well-known member
ARTHUR BISHOP
Well-known member
Hi Woody nice to see you taking part again, those starlings are nice and Iv'e got a Dyson in my garden its a wonder he can take off.
Tim lovely sketches ,the coloured one spot on.
Tim lovely sketches ,the coloured one spot on.
nickderry
C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.
Woody, Dyson is wonderfully round, just like I imagine in real life. The little owl studies are superb, very accurately drawn and an excellent use of the poor creature. There is a starling, bottom left that is simply excellent.
Tim, Mmmm divers, the one facing us sends a shiver down my spine, brings back memories. Excellent little terns, the background is particularly exciting on the colour sketch, I want to be able to do colours like that!
Excellent stuff all round. I've been too busy catching up on sleep today (scary Daliesque dreams involving underground carparks, stiletto shoes made of wooden crates and flashing green lights - I think I'll have the sleeves stitched together in my shirts and mattresses installed on the walls!) so didn't get out sketching today and so my May output has not been as prolific as it should have been (at least I've got a fair few finished works done). Maybe a June sketchathon?
Tim, Mmmm divers, the one facing us sends a shiver down my spine, brings back memories. Excellent little terns, the background is particularly exciting on the colour sketch, I want to be able to do colours like that!
Excellent stuff all round. I've been too busy catching up on sleep today (scary Daliesque dreams involving underground carparks, stiletto shoes made of wooden crates and flashing green lights - I think I'll have the sleeves stitched together in my shirts and mattresses installed on the walls!) so didn't get out sketching today and so my May output has not been as prolific as it should have been (at least I've got a fair few finished works done). Maybe a June sketchathon?
Woody
Well-known member
Tim those are superb as always. I particularly like the terns -all of 'em. I think it's the interesting angles that get me going, rather than the 'straight from the side' thing that I'm sometimes guilty of.
I should have mentioned that two of my starlings are, in fact, blackbirds- which would explain why they are cr*p drawings of starlings!
Nick, lay off the ripe camembert late at night mate! Wierdly I used to have a recurring dream about flying through a flooded underground carpark...
Woody
I should have mentioned that two of my starlings are, in fact, blackbirds- which would explain why they are cr*p drawings of starlings!
Nick, lay off the ripe camembert late at night mate! Wierdly I used to have a recurring dream about flying through a flooded underground carpark...
Woody
timwootton
Well-known member
Didn't need to ID the blackies, Woody - they were obvious even to a terrible birder such as me! - These 'stronger', more outlined drawings really have a genuine substance which I like, have to get your Woody's Sketchbook filled now!
PWG
Well-known member
Thanks for the advice Nick I'll have a go and see how I do.
This was a brilliant idea, one which I was a little nervous about but have enjoyed a lot and learnt even more. Did someone suggest a June sketchathon? Perhaps we could make this a regular feature, I know I've enjoyed seeing peoples sketch's and seeing the process people go through to achieve their later works. It's also an encouragement for me to get out and try myself. Thanks to Buzzard12 for suggesting it and for everyone else for contributing.:clap: :clap:
Strandman
Well-known member
Drat....lugged my scope and tripod into the big bad City this morning for a workaday sketching opportunity and it turned out May was over. These done standing on-the-spot over lunch with no fiddling about to tidy them up afterwards, tho' notes show where I would be tempted to do so.
But for a Bittern sketch back in Feb, must be the first true field sketches I have attempted for years and years and years- so in all seriousness, PWG's sentiments echoed and thanks to all for creating and maintaining the momentum and sense of sketching community on here.
