Sketching an Eastern Bluebird

My friend Brad Silberberg shared this photo of an Eastern Bluebird with me for my Pencil Drawing Workshop for Beginners class at CCBC.  It was so lovely, I used it as a demonstration piece in class.

I limited myself to the graphite pencils we are using in class, and started with a loose gesture sketch to lay out the structure of the drawing.

Then I slowly built up more details, focusing on the bluebird, and adding loose tones in the background.  I used a tortillon or blending stump (the little rolled paper tool that looks like a pencil without the graphite) to blur and unify areas of tone in the background.

Not having color to separate the bluebird from his background, I focused on using contrasting values and mark-making.  I used sharper, more defined marks for the bluebird and his perch, and softened my marks for the background. 

Of course, in the reference photo, the background is quite blurred, bringing our attention right to the bluebird.  As I attempted to create the same effect with my graphite pencils, I felt a bit frustrated, wanting to draw the leafy shrubs behind him.

I'm not wild about this drawing, but I'm happy with the way the little bluebird turned out, and the fuzzy background that frustrated me reminds me to keep my backgrounds simple so they don't compete with the subject -- an excellent tip for me to remember for future drawings!

Quick tips on making your subject stand out:

1. Give your subject a prominent place in the composition.  Check out my post on composition here for more on this topic.

2. Create contrasts in value or color between your subject and the elements around it. 

3. Lavish time on your subject to bring it to life.  Put more details into your subject than the areas around and behind it.  

4. As always, step back often to see the whole composition.  Five seconds of looking from arm's length will show you areas that are successful, and areas you'll want to work on.

And always remember, that whatever you draw, whether you love the final drawing or not, you are building what naturalist John Muir Laws calls "Pencil Miles."  You are gaining experience.  You learn from every drawing you make, so just keep drawing!

Happy Creating!

Drawing in the Museum: Discovery Basecamp

We spent our final class in an area designed for children and classes -- Discovery Basecamp. The area provided plentiful seats and taxidermied birds and mammals in lightweight plexiglass boxes.

In short, the perfect environment for drawing natural history specimens up close.

And surprisingly few toddlers and preschoolers rambled through while we were sketching.

Near Discovery Basecamp we explored an exhibit entitled The Art of the Diorama.  That's where I fell in love with this Northern Raven and drew its portrait.

During the cold, gray days of winter, a museum is a wonderful place to sit and sketch.  And to stretch your legs.  The walk between exhibits, to different floors, etc. is both beautiful and healthful.  I enjoyed having room to roam without slipping on ice!

Happy Creating!

A Private Session with Model David

I recently had the privilege of drawing David at a private session. 

I used a variety of different drawing media, selecting whatever looked like fun at the beginning of each pose, from colored pencils, to graphite, to ink pens, an ink brush pen, and even watercolors.

The session began with a series of 1-minute gestures.

During the 2-minute gestures, David used a bright fabric flag on a staff as a prop.

We moved on to 5-minute poses, and I was able to add complexity to my drawings.

The short gestures helped me to warm up, and the 10-minute poses felt extravagantly long.

We finished with some 15-minute poses, including one with a bag of snack food.

I'm grateful to David for his creativity in presenting these beautiful poses.

Augusta the Fairy

We recently had a photo shoot with a professional traveling model named Augusta Monroe.  

She was wonderful to work with and created beautiful poses in wooded scenes. 

I used a photo from our shoot as a reference to draw this image in my sketchbook, 

giving model Augusta a pair of fairy wings.

Using a piece of tracing paper, I traced over the sketchbook drawing to transfer the image to watercolor paper. 

Then I colored on the back of the tracing paper with a 4B graphite pencil, and 

taped the drawing onto watercolor paper.  I traced over the main lines of the drawing, leaving behind a faint image on the watercolor paper to work from.

I laid in washes of color, and layered on detail.

I used Winsor & Newton watercolor paper in a block,

so I didn't have to tape my paper down.

I finished the image by adding tree branches in the background with Inktense colored pencils, and touching up details on Augusta's face.

Why not give this process a try?

  

Start with a photo you like, and make drawings in a sketchbook.

The pressure is off when you're just sketching for fun.

When you create a design you like, trace and transfer it to a sheet of better paper.

You can paint with watercolors, or use colored pencils, markers, or whatever medium you enjoy.

Let your imagination roam free on the page, and remember: 

You're not a camera creating photorealistic images.  

You're an artist creating expressive works!

I hope you make time for art in your schedule this week; you're worth it!

Here are two images of Augusta Monroe that you are welcome to use as reference photos to create artworks from.

Many thanks to model Augusta Monroe for her creative work!