Morning Dove Dwg and stuff

I have started my new animal drawing, and since I couldn't face any more grass, at least in the near future, I selected a photograph I made of a Morning Dove at the Panne at Daniel Webster. Not close to finished but it is a bit further along than many of the in-process scans I post. I have just started on the feathers and need to spend a lot more time on them. The tree branch it is sitting on is starting to take form, and I  have taken the time to tone the background. Since the background is water there won't be a lot more work to be done on it.

Morning Doves are sort of odd shaped birds with their pear shaped bodies and small heads. Still their feathers are rather pretty, not to mention the fact that I can't be too selective when it comes to the animals I can get a close photograph of, one with enough details for me to draw the animal. So if my drawings seem to be of ordinary animals that is why.

As a break between my realistic animal drawings I spent some time with pen and ink and Inktense pencils to create another bookmark. This is loosely based on Zentangle patterns for the ink work, I added color with the Inktense pencils and then added a bit of water to brighten the colors and blend them together. The Stonehenge paper is heavy enough to take a bit of water without a lot of warping so it works out fairly well. I still have to add a tassel to this one but I picked up some black embroidery floss yesterday so should get to that this afternoon or evening.

I have been posting some of my bookmarks for sale on my Esty account if any one is interested.

Because of Sandy our Monday night drawing session was canceled and moved to Wednesday night (Halloween). I think I should have stayed at home. I am not at all happy with this drawing. Partly it was me, partly the model (she is twitchy and can't seem to hold/keep the pose from one break to the next) and partly the lighting. For some reason Scott went back to direct overhead lighting, and the model whose face is quite delicate was sitting so that her whole face was mostly in shadow. UGH, the foot doesn't even look like a foot,,the way she was curled up on the sofa it was pointed directly toward me. I know I need to learn how to draw under all circumstances, but this direct over head lighting is going to take me a bit to figure out.

Ah well there is always next week, and hopefully a different light source.

As a final image I have a photograph I made at Borderland State Park. The image is of one of the open fields around the old farm house that is on the property. They mow the fields in the summer to keep them open, and you can see the color in the trees that edge the field.

That is it for today. Hope everyone has a great weekend, and per usual comments are always welcome.