Starting to Catch Up

I seem to have regained my desire to draw now that summer is on the wain. Above is a drawing of a female mallard that I started last spring. This week I pulled it out and have been working on her, she obviously isn't anywhere near done, but progress is being made. I also have a couple of other projects in the works, a larger version of the Green Heron I drew in my Journal and a pen and ink drawing of one of the Cape Cod Canal bridges.

I enjoy drawing birds just wish I could get better photographs of the more unusual birds that I see on my outings. I suppose what I need to do is make friends with some of the other photographers I see at various MA Audubon Sites and ask if I can use some of their better photos as reference for my drawings. In the meantime I will continue to draw using my better photos even if the subjects are every day birds.

Above is a catch up spread I drew this week in my nature journal. The visit was in July so you can tell I am weeks behind with my drawings. Subjects have all been selected, I just have to do the work.

Top left corner is a drawing of two morning doves sitting on the fence around the parking area. Normally they are quite shy so getting a good photo of them can be tricky. They are really kind of funny looking birds with small heads and rounded bodies. If they are on the ground their buff colored bodies they do tend to blend into the background.

Middle right is my old standby of the tree trunk in the Panne. Water level was about the same as the week prior, but I was able to make a photo of the mallard family swimming in front so I thought I would use it.

Bottom left drawing is of a Green Heron, there were actually 2 different Green Herons in the sanctuary that day. One was a young bird who sometimes had difficulties figuring out how to eat what it caught. There was at least one fish that got away. It had slightly different coloring through the breast (more white) than the older more experienced bird. It was so fun to watch them, and I did manage a couple of good photos, not sure which bird this was, not a good enough view of the breast feathers.

The figure drawing above is slightly out of order, meaning that I made this drawing the week prior to the drawing I used in my last post. I am still a couple of drawings behind when it comes to posting. This pose was a bit tricky, with the head angled away from me so I was looking at the underside of her jaw. I am not sure that I got the distances just right with the features. There are other issues with this drawing, but there are also some areas I like, legs and feet for one.

Above is a frog I photographed this summer at Houghton's Pond. Usually frogs jump in the other direction when they hear me coming, but I must have been quiet enough to not scare this one. It actually hopped toward me and was sitting right next to my shoe. I lowered the camera and was just shooting blind for this photo, one reason for the odd angle, though I actually rather like it.

A photo of a field at Daniel Webster, made the same day as my Journal visit above, in July. They mow most of the fields at least once every summer. If they didn't the trees would take over and the open habitat some of the birds require would be gone.

That is it for today, per usual comments are always welcome.