The process is developing as each piece is created. My goal has been to practice every day and learn more about structure and color as it is applied to the neo-tropical warblers and their breeding environment. I worked to Asaf Avidan’s new album, DIFFERENT PULSES. The energy from his work helped me overcome the difficulty I experienced creating the Nuthatch-like pose of this Black and White Warbler on a lichen covered Sugar Maple tree. I used a photo I took at Presque Isle for the tree. The warbler was sketched after a photo by Sue from her blog, Backyard Biologist. With this piece, I learned that I like a more stylized look rather than a “realistic painting” (e.g., Stippling on bark indentations, pen/ink exclusively on the warbler). The Black and White Warbler is really this striking and distinct.
Bonding With The Landscape
Written by Raven on · 3 Comments
About Raven
I am a naturalist. I co-founded Headwaters Environmental Station, a non-profit/tax-exempt environmental education facility at Misery Bay in the Keweenaw Peninsula with my husband, Michael Scheiwe. As a licensed Master Bird Bander and Scientific Collector, I had unprecedented opportunities to teach environment/ecological education to children for 20 years. I co-produced the program, Journeys Into A Sense Of Place, narrative readings that heighten consciousness of community and landscape (6 yrs.) for MN Public Radio. I have a working knowledge of taxidermy (study skins) and annotated and mounted plant specimens at the UWO herbarium. I appreciate the freedom of kayaking, biking, fly fishing, birding, harvesting/drying wild edibles. Illustrating, writing, hiking, photography, and cooking are essential daily activities. I earned a BS in Psychology and an MA in Education from NMU. View all posts by Raven »
I love your series!
This is beautiful, Raven! 3-D looking.
Charon and Ann, your feedback is appreciated! With this last piece, the Black and White Warbler, I’ve been experimenting with light and angles using my camera. The impact on the sketch is interesting. I’ll post one.