4 June 25

Daily Sketch - Plants Edition

A pen and wash sketch of a branch holding a white poppy with a yellow center As of this week I am semi-retired, though the degree of semi-ness is something that I will be working out for a while. It does mark a good occasion to return to blogging, so here I am.

I have been keeping a daily sketchbook for about 7 years now. The sketchbooks have been in a variety of formats and styles. Within this practice I have a subpractice of doing more extended sketches in the field on weekends. I did a series of these on local buildings, but after running out of interesting buildings in Davis I’ve lately switched to weekend tree sketches.

Trees call for a portrait format sketchbook, which means I’m always searching for portrait format subjects on non-tree days. Plants and flowers are filling a lot of the other pages of the sketchbook. So here is today’s sketch. This is a Matilija poppy (Romneya coutleri) from the alleyway by a neighbor’s yard.

Posted by at 10:16 PM in Design Arts | Nature and Place | Link

24 October 24

Birdtober Day 24: Gimme Shelter

pen and wash drawings of an Anna's hummingbird restlessly moving perches as it cools down before dusk

Posted by at 10:47 PM in | Link

23 October 24

Birdtober Day 23: Eyes

pen and wash drawing of an Anna's hummingbird face-on

Posted by at 04:45 PM in | Link

22 October 24

Birdtober Day 22: More on Hovering

pen and wash drawing of a hummingbird hovering with arrows showing figure-8 movement instead of straight up and down of hovering kestrel

Posted by at 06:56 PM in | Link

22 October 24

Birdtober Day 21: Feeders

pen and wash drawing of two hummingbirds at a feeder

Posted by at 06:55 PM in | Link

20 October 24

Birdtober Day 20: Courtship Season Getting Underway

drawing of male Anna's hummingbird that chases a female who disappears into the bushes, male stops at a flower

Posted by at 05:41 PM in | Link

19 October 24

Birdtober Day 19: Approaching and Leaving a Food Source

pen and wash drawing of Anna's hummingbird jerkily approaching a flower but when done, directly speeding away from it

Posted by at 02:22 PM in | Link

18 October 24

Birdtober Day 18: A Windy Day

sketches of Anna's Hummingbirds perched in a tangerine tree

Posted by at 08:01 PM in | Link

17 October 24

Birdtober Day 17: Young Male in Moult

pen and wash sketch of a young male Anna's hummingbird in flight and perched. Magenta crown and throat feathers coming in.

Posted by at 12:35 PM in | Link

16 October 24

Birdtober Day 16: Rain!

drawing of an Anna's hummingbird quivering and shaking in the falling raindrops

Posted by at 06:37 PM in | Link

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