Wings Over Winecountry, Colleen's place (1 Viewer)

[colleenc]

good idea Sid,

When I saw his sketchbook at Birds in Art one bird actually not even the whole bird filled a page and spilled over to the next one, bigger than lifesize, It was some sort of duck....But I have to keep remembering he is doing this after long years of making art for field guides and drawing after precise drawing, so he knows the basic forms they take already, and besides that he is so huge that one of his hands equals almost 2 of mine...


If you figure out how to draw bigger let me know, or maybe one of the guys ( I use that generically not genderly) will give us a clue.

 

[Jackie Garner]

Don't know about you two, but I find the size of my sketches relates to confidence. When I first started drawing from life everything was tiny but as I progressed I started to draw larger. Even now I tend to draw smaller if I feel out of practice. Time may be a factor too. If I know my subject isn't likely to stick around I'll probably make a smaller drawing.

The solution? Not sure, but maybe more practice, and keep being aware that you're aiming for a larger than usual representation. Or try drawing from a few captive birds so you're close and don't need a telescope. Then you'll be used to drawing larger when you're back in the field. That's my best guess - hope it helps.

 

[colleenc]

thanks Jackie, I think it probably is mostly mental as you mention...I'll try some of what you mention here.

 

[sfrissell]

Oh, well. Maybe the answer will be in Tim's forthcoming book??

 

[Woody]

Gorgeous little fluffballs Colleen. Not sure about getting to grips with size, my sketches tend to vary and I think it's a combination of factors that alters them. Size in the scope is a big influence as is the time factor, so if I'm just getting gestures the drawings will be small but if the bird is hanging about the drawings will be larger (generally).

Mike

 

[solitaryVSong]

Don't know about you two, but I find the size of my sketches relates to confidence. When I first started drawing from life everything was tiny but as I progressed I started to draw larger. Even now I tend to draw smaller if I feel out of practice. Time may be a factor too. If I know my subject isn't likely to stick around I'll probably make a smaller drawing.

I tend to think it's most likely confidence as well. I believe that Nick once showed a sketchbook on the top of his car and it was surprisingly large. I do know that back when I did figure drawing 15 hours a week, and where I really learned to draw I think, that I had gotten to where each drawing I did, even a 15 minute one, was on a full size sheet of paper, 18x30 inches or similar. This was all just a matter of being confident. I didn't start off that way.

Of course it's easier to work large in a studio. It's another thing to be managing large paper out in the field.

 

[colleenc]

I do think that I draw smaller when I think there will be less time...maybe I should just draw bigger then and get what I get, just to push it for a while...

 

[RussB]

Hmm, very interesting guys.
I'll echo what Jackie says as my sketches are three to four times the size they were a couple of years ago. I think it's easier (for me, anyway) to see the formswhen going large, especially on preening birds, where I try to keep things loose. THis is just something that's happened with practice, too, as going large seems to allow more margin for error. THis sketch of a Yellow-legged Gull from Tenerife in Nov 2009 (before my BF baptism) is an example - it almost takes 3/4 of a page of A4.

The size is where the similarity ends with Lars, I'm afraid!

Russ

 

[nickderry]

love the oyk chicks Colleen. As for what size to draw, the hand should be free to sweep and be comfortable. I started sketching in tiny sketchbooks that fit in my binocular pouch (!) now I usually find A4 is sufficient, but I prefer A3. As I do most of my sketching walking around and standing up, an A3 sketchbook isn't very practical, but every so often I do force myself to lug one around. (and with binoculars, backpack, tripod and scope and my man purse (!!) I look like some sort of working mule.

 

[solitaryVSong]

but every so often I do force myself to lug one around. (and with binoculars, backpack, tripod and scope and my man purse (!!) I look like some sort of working mule.

Now that sounds, and feels, familiar I hope that I just look 'dedicated' though.

 

[RussB]

I've been tempted with an A3, but like Nick says they seem a bit unwieldy when your mobile. For sat in situ sketching I might just try one out - it could be ideal for those preening cormorants and canada geese I'll be looking at this winter - no I don't get around that much!

Russ

 

[nickderry]

I've been tempted with an A3, but like Nick says they seem a bit unwieldy when your mobile. For sat in situ sketching I might just try one out - it could be ideal for those preening cormorants and canada geese I'll be looking at this winter - no I don't get around that much!

Russ

yes, for big birds like that, A4 just never is big enough.

 

[colleenc]

went out an forced myself to draw bigger, it takes longer so can't get the whole bird done, will keep at it.

Apropo of nothing in particular heard on a pod cast this rather amazing fact about ducks that I had no idea of

The male Ruddy Duck has a member that grow about half as long as him during mating season, afterwards it falls off and he grows a new one next year.....and futhermore, in all the ducks in the study, mallards etc.that hang around with a bunch of males, they grow bigger members than the ones that just hang witht the girls...somehow always suspected this might be true
:-O:-O

 

[sfrissell]

That sounds like a story made up by a male ruddy duck!! This would certainly preclude Ruddy males from swimming in shallow ponds. I can find no such a feat mentioned in any of my ornithology texts!!? Who put out this pod cast??

 

[colleenc]

tried to figure out how to get a link this is the best I can do. I love Sci Fi and on line is a fanzine with free audio stories that are really good, the guy who edits it is one of the North English types with those thick accents, which I now love but it took a while. He just won a Hugo and is the first podcast to do so.

Anyway, on this podcast, (which is mostly a hilarious conversation between 2 old 90yr olds masters of Sci-fi,) is the monthly science article and the duck stuff is in that. Its the Sept 24 podcast. He is a university prof who teaches biology and reviews the latest in the field of science news. So it's not a send up. YOu will have to find that part which is towards the end of this podcast. and the duck part is near the end of his segment, just before the dung beetle stuff.

And if you like sci fi....there is so much here, I've spent the last 3 months listening. free! and feel like we are in a second golden age of writing with an explosion of new writers..... Honest it is a real scientific study:gh:

 

[solitaryVSong]

It sounded so preposterous that I assumed it must be a parody. However here is another version of the story. Lesser scaup are also implicated.

 

[colleenc]

yes that's the study he spoke of...and that has pictures...sure makes a girl wonder:-O

 

[nickderry]

duck penises are rather elaborately adapted - something roughly due to the fact that there is a lot of rape in ducks, so the females have developed rather strange cloacae that need a lot of work to get to where fertilisation occurs, this helps prevent being fertilised by unwanted suitors.

 

[colleenc]

right, the link Ken put up has a picture, and great info, not all ducks are forced it seems more in some breeds than others...and that shape of a member in the story, couldn't help but have a pic in my head of "what if we were shaped that way" and well you know not to mention the falling off part....:eek!:

 

[nickderry]

it's the falling off part that worries me!