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First attempt at Drawing and Painting Birds (1 Viewer)

Zac - brilliant start to what should be a thrilling journey through wildlife art. Keep on looking and drawing. Excellent young man!
 
Those Goldfinches are excellent little sketches, Zac

Getting seriously inspired by all these great works by everyone, might have to start dabbling myself soon!!

Matt
 
Zac, ... 15 ! your sketching is already impressive you keep going
with it and don't be afraid to push yourself with flying subjects.

I probably sound like a broken record , but drawing constantly
is the secret. Perfecting your draftmanship is more important
than the painting bit. That will all follow. I remember being
terrified of colour at one stage but slowly it all comes together.
but the one thing that I'm glad I spent time on
was my Drawing.
 
went to 'my' Quarry this morning for 30 mins or so, and had a go at drawing Lesser Black Backs, I havn't really got the shape right but I think they are ok.

Zac
 

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You are doing some great work - so enthusiastic! Keep it up.
Like the study of the beak in the last posting. I am pretty much a beginner myself when it comes to drawing and find it really useful to practice details like bills and feet and eyes etc. I copy from learning to draw books and some field guides. Everything helps :t:
 
You've jumped right in the deep end! I've been field sketching for nearly 12 years now, (started at 13) and I still have trouble with gulls, you've pulled this one off very well indeed. You're already being more adventurous in your sketching than I was when I started, I used to just stick two ovals together for every bird and added a few lines. Keep them coming!
 
You can't turn your back on BF for five minutes without something good happening in your absence. There's some really nice work here Zac, the field sketches are my personal faves, especially the tit and the pigeon. Keep it up!

Woody
 
Thanks Everyone

Nick - I really hate drawing ovals, I have had a go in the past, but it just doesn't look right. i just seem to start at the nape of the left hand side of the head depending on what angle the bird is facing!
I drew some more today at the Quarry but the wind picked up and the subjects were far away so the sketches were abysmal!

Zac
 
Heres a few sketches of snipe from the second visit of the day.

Woody - you inspired me to do these, not as ood as yours but its a start!

Zac
 

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Heres a few sketches of snipe from the second visit of the day.

Woody - you inspired me to do these, not as ood as yours but its a start!

Zac

Zac

Your drawings. Wow, that is pure genius

I was thinking the moment that I saw your drawing of a Snipe, that was a Snipe - pure and simple. The reason is because the shape of the head gives it away.

So now you can draw a bird without a ID caption, and we can still ID it !!!

Keep them coming here!! :-O
 
Hi All
Just bin looking on bird guides at various photo's and decided that I would use the pictures as if there were in the field, so I have drawn several of both male and female Marsh Harrier...hope you like
 

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You've certainly got a feel for the character of these birds, the snipe in the middle of the page is an excellent sketch, the shape is spot on!
 
Lovin' the snipe Zac!

The feeding bird bottom right hand corner is so typical, great pose and keep up the good work!

Woody

PS., Can you slow-up a bit, you're making me feel inadequate! :-O;)
 
Thanks Woody
What do you mean, stop posting somany in such a short time...Ill Try:t:

I would love to be able to paint like some of you lot!
I dont have the time or materials. the Kingfisher really is the only painting I have done, and I used the last of my only paints, so I was lucky to even have the right colours!

I think if i do get some paints, I will definatly do the Goldfinch's!

Zac
 
Apart from the obvious - Ducks etc. What would anyone suggest I attempt to draw, this could be a field sketch i.e. where i should go to draw a certain bird, or in general?

Any challenges would be welcome!

Zac
 
Zac, if you want to PM me with either your email addy/address - I'll get some acrylic paint and send it to you. I can get very cheap paint in Brighton! ( I was lucky, my parents heaped paints and sketchpads on me all through childhood, so did all my relatives!!)

(you only need basic colours which can be mixed) If you'd rather water colour, I can send you that instead.

For a water colour palette, I currently use a purpose one, but also use an old ice freezer tray! For Acrylic for work, I use paper plates believe it or not but also use old plastic picnic plates.

Meant to say as a gift of course!


Oh re: getting good views of birds for practice, a plastic duck farm (ie. WWT!!!) is a good bet ;) but they charge to get in unfortunately. I can't get out birding much at the moment so lots of stuff from me of gulls just down the road and stuff in the garden.

Ps just seen your note about Goldfinches - Ive spent all afternoon with an elderly patient helping her to paint a Goldfinch from one of my Birds mags - draw the outline for her and she painted it - she's 87!
 
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Heres two sets of Field Sketches. Well the Blackbird (juv and male) is a field Sketch, but the Whitethroat was more to do with position/pose, for a painting I aim to do.

Hope you like

Zac
 

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Those whitethroat are superb Zac! And some great field work with the blackbird too ... rate of progress here is astounding!
 
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