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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Untitled... (3 Viewers)

Thanks all for your kind words.

Sid, some critters Nature has already made into cartoons!;)

Russ, note the numbers next to each sketch. They refer to the image from which the sketch was taken. We spent several hours with the Glossy over 2 concurrent days, down to a few feet range. So tame was it.
As I stated above, the sketches now are from drawings taken at the time, immersion in the bird itself and many many photos.
Now that the Ibis has long departed, I have the luxury of recreating those experiences from a wealth of resource material. It is my aim to create a suite of pieces that will capture many moods and behaviours of this Glossy Ibis. This, so I can fully understand better what makes it what it is, and, also, to translate that back to others.
Often, oppurtunities for fully sketching a bird are limited by time, conditions, etc, etc. But having recourse to a mass of personal data is invaluable to taking all this a step further!
And on dark Winter days to come how many artworks may yet arise from the sketches and photos taken in the warmer times?
Looks like it's gonna be a busy Winter!B :)

Ps As an example of how I use photos for sketching? Bottom row, middle. Sketch marked in pencil "227" is based loosely on the attached photo.
I've also added one of Mme.U's photos of the Glossy actually laughing at one of my jokes!:cat:
 

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Thanks for enlightening me, Phil. It seems I have lots to learn from the masters on BF! Thinking more about this approach, I spent a few hours recently (yesterday actually) sketching shovelers, and on several attempts the little details like the placement and shape of the nostrils, and that all-important placement of the eye and gape line, for example, of preening birds, were, out of sync. A good photo would obviously help when re-drawing.

On a second look, the first pencil studies are even better than thought - superb.

Russ
 
RussB Thinking more about this approach, I spent a few hours recently (yesterday actually) sketching shovelers, and on several attempts the little details like the placement and shape of the nostrils, and that all-important placement of the eye and gape line, for example, of preening birds, were, out of sync. A good photo would obviously help when re-drawing.
Click to expand...

Yes, any tools you can add, help. To embellish your experience. And the outcome.

The Collin's Guide, as far as I can see, was based mostly on photos, sketches and whatever came to hand.

Photos are invaluable addition for later reference.

It was through direct experience that we learnt how a Glossy Ibis' bill works. It is designed for water run-off in 2 directions (in all directions,probably!), with rivulets pointing backwards at the lower mandible base. And a fore-nasal groove on the upper, to carry water away from the nostril holes. This was mentally noted at the time. But the collection of photos will further remind me to do a breakdown of these observations.

If you carry a "quiver". Then load it with arrows!

As many as possible!B :)

It is not always possible. But if you can take photos, of whatever callibre, they will add to the sketches.

I always take photos of habitat. That is really very useful![/I]

It will be invaluable later. Focusing on the bird, do we pay attention to sketching its environs? In great detail? Often not...

Also, a photo library of habitats will allow you to marry a "homeless bird-sketch" into suitable background when a final piece needs completion.

In a way, it all sounds like cheating.

In essence, it is a skillful process, where nothing is missed, and everything becomes useful.

This is a re-cycling of all experience. In whatever way you can capture it.

solitaryVSong Missed the 'Laughing Ibis' Phil! Sounds like a great name for a blog, or maybe a birder's bar.
Click to expand...

Forget the blog Ken. I need a drink after writing the above! ;)B :):cat:
 
great advice Phil esp the photo the habitat....how do you keep track of your photos....I have several thousand now and I've only been at it less than 2 years.....I have them by type of bird, and the raw image by date, but even that is getting too big, I have a sep hard drive where they are stored but it will fill up eventually...
 
colleenc said:
great advice Phil esp the photo the habitat....how do you keep track of your photos....I have several thousand now and I've only been at it less than 2 years.....I have them by type of bird, and the raw image by date, but even that is getting too big, I have a sep hard drive where they are stored but it will fill up eventually...
Click to expand...

I don't have a particular system Colleen. But I like to take a few photos of the habitat when I've sketched a bird, or am planning some work around a bird that's been photo'd and sketched. These all go into the same folder when taken off the camera. So date and title (usually with the subject's name in it!) is my point of reference.

These then go onto CDs or DVDs for library purposes. So I can take what I need off the disk when I'm planning and executing a piece.

Start putting them onto disks Colleen! What if something goes wrong with the computer??? :eek!::cat:
 
I ran out of room on cds had so many, so I went to an external hard drive, which stores as much as 100 cds...if computer goes, then it won't affect the storage, I could back up some of it on CD just in case. I have a mac and have since the first one came out in the 80's I've never had one go fritz, but I know some do from time to time. even so most stuff can be recovered, maybe I should do a Fave Shot dvd just in case.
 
colleenc said:
I ran out of room on cds had so many, so I went to an external hard drive, which stores as much as 100 cds...if computer goes, then it won't affect the storage, I could back up some of it on CD just in case. I have a mac and have since the first one came out in the 80's I've never had one go fritz, but I know some do from time to time. even so most stuff can be recovered, maybe I should do a Fave Shot dvd just in case.
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I like that phrasal verb "to go fritz". I may use it. As that's how language develops. ;)

Do whatever you can to make your life easier and happier. :cat:

Meantime, a little acrylic canvas. Which I have a lot of work to do on. But, hey! Warts 'n' all! (I don't like acrylic or oils BTW! :-C)
 

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well you see, it is a noun, that can be used like a verb and I take JA Baker the renowned nature writer as my permission to do so, he has a delightful way with taking liberties with language, and his classic The Peregrine, is considered one of the great books of all time. I'm in the midst of reading it, awestruck with his writing. And more so since he was not a writer, but the manager of a AAA
( British) roadside assistance. Some of the most luminous language I've ever come across, no wonder he is so revered.

I do wonder who Fritz was too. Here is a sample of his noun to verb conversion...."Starlings...sky up violently", isn't that just perfect! So I say Phil use it like it works.....it could even be an adjective.."he made it go fritzy"
 
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"To Sky Up" is my personal favorite phrasal verb now.

I think I will be skying up everything in my life from now on! ;)

Sky up your lives with me! :t:
 
phil baber said:
Have a gander at my updates, if you may.

http://philbaber.weebly.com/index.html

2 weeks to full broadband.

Living in a "wafer-thin World" has been difficult...

Hope you enjoy better versions of what I have been trying to post, these past months?
Click to expand...

Particularly like the Sketchings page Phil, both header and all of the drawings.

Oddly enough I was at an auto dealers this week, because my 15 year old car is on its last legs, or tires as the case may be. In any case the salesman wanted to see my website. So I gave him the link. Then we sat and sat and sat, waiting for the images to appear. We finally gave up. I think they also had a wafer-thin connection. I'd forgotten just how painful it could be.
 
Somehow I have managed to look at your recent work several times but hadn't commented - thought I did, but nope...sorry! Anyway, I went back through about the last half of the posts in the thread to make sure I hadn't missed anything else. Way back, the hen Harrier notes and sketches you did were outstanding, as was the Lapland Bunting. And now the ibises...wonderfully done! Ibis are a very infrequent visitor to my state, particularly as far north as I live, so it's always great to see images of them. Great work!
 
Ken and John. Thank you for your very kind words.

John, that was some work to go back that far! I have only admiration for you ..... and your work!;)

Winter is closing in here.

Lots of references collected during the Summer months to be harvesting from over the next few months...B :)

In the meantime? Thanks to Deborah for the "Robin X Factor Thread."

Inspired me to figure out a tricky quick painting. And get me a new avatar into the bargain. :cat:

Lots of people will be downloading Xmas card ideas from her thread. :eek!:

All very clever stuff! B :)

Robin Face...Watch out!!! :eek!:
 

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phil baber said:
Ken and John. Thank you for your very kind words.

John, that was some work to go back that far! I have only admiration for you ..... and your work!;)

Winter is closing in here.

Lots of references collected during the Summer months to be harvesting from over the next few months...B :)

In the meantime? Thanks to Deborah for the "Robin X Factor Thread."

Inspired me to figure out a tricky quick painting. And get me a new avatar into the bargain. :cat:

Lots of people will be downloading Xmas card ideas from her thread. :eek!:

All very clever stuff! B :)

Robin Face...Watch out!!! :eek!:
Click to expand...


PS If anyone is short of money? They have full permission to use this image as a Xmas card, from me.
If they want to make a donation, to a worthwhile charity? I will send the artwork to them. To keep.

PM me if so.

Back to the drawing board...:-C
 
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