Mockingbird in a Rose Bush

 I'm still working with the Sketchbook Challenge February theme: Close-up.

There is a large wild rose bush growing at the corner of the dilapidated garage. In the past several years, a family of mockingbirds has established a nest in the center of the rosebush. This year the birds have wintered in the bush and tolerate close approaches by the humans.  It was an ideal time to take some pictures, without the fear of being attacked by nesting parents.

Friday (Feb. 2) was bitterly cold, with temperatures in the 20's and a wicked wind coming from the north. My subject was not totally co-operative, retreating into the rose canes several times before I could take some shots. I managed to get within 5 ft. and took several shots before I lost the feeling in my fingers.  Seven pictures were acceptable.

After saving the best shots,  picked one photo zoomed in and cropped the background.

I sketched the bird using pencil, ink and watercolor in a Moleskine sketchbook.

Today I added some final touches.

African Trade Beads - More February Close-ups

I'm still working with the Sketchbook Challenge February theme of Close-ups. 

This time,  I searched through my "Stash o' Stuff and found a string of African trade beads. I purchased a number of these in the '70's and used most of them in various craft projects.  However, my sister collected some of beads she liked best, strung them on a  cord and saved them in a chest of drawers in our parents house. I found them when I was closing the house after my father died. 


My first sketch was done in ink in a Moleskin Pocket Watercolor Book (3.5"x5.5").  Next, I watercolored some of the beads, but the details were too small to do a satisfactory job.  For the next version, I did an extreme close-up of individual beads and tried filling in the colored areas with Prismacolor pencils.  I can see several other ways of using  trade beads in projects.


Carol Sloan suggested sketching every day, even if it is only five minutes as a way to "flex your creative muscles" and improve your sketching and observation skills.  
It's a reminder I need, since I often get overly involved in other projects and let my sketching fall to the wayside.

Taking a Really Close Look.

 I haven't posted much lately, because I've been involve with my beading project. 
I've done very little drawing and painting, but The Sketchbook Challenge blog 
has given me motivation to pick up my paper, pencil, pen and paints again.

The Sketchbook Challenge theme for February 2012 is CLOSE-UP.  
I searched through my photos and found one that has always grabbed my attention: 
the praying mantis I encountered while I was clearing brush last fall.

Isn't that face worth a close-up?