Fast Sketching My Way Around a Wildlife Center

Back in March, Rob and I spent a lovely afternoon walking along the manicured trails of the Oatland Island Wildlife Center of Savannah, GA.

The second feature along the trail was an area where two Sandhill Cranes reside. I didn't want to leave!

They walked over from the far side of their area to right below the bridge we stood on. A few more people came a long and the cranes let out a sound that made all of us jump!  Goodness, they are loud!

I sketched and painted for a bit then we made our way to see the Bobcat..... very well hidden.

On to the Red Foxes.  Yes! From there we walked to the Birds of Prey area. By then. the no-seeums were having they're way with us!

We saw the Center's herd of White-tailed Deer and then moved on to see the pack of Gray Wolves.

You can observe the wolves from a bridge that overlooks their area or you can go into a building with one-way glass. Both vantage points were exciting as it was feeding time.  Nothing like seeing the pecking order of a wolf pack first hand. I'm hoping the addition of color will help the wolf head sketches....

Our last stop... the American Bison.  Wow! Pappa is one big dude!!

We were on our way back to the parking lot and I just couldn't stand it... I had to go back to see the cranes again :)

So, a few more crane sketches to surround the Bison :)

I've been hoping to finish these pages with color using the reference photographs we took... hopefully soon.  Then I'll add some more words. The first crane page is begging for a calligraphic touch :)

What a great place to practice fast sketching! I can't wait to go back :)

The Sketchbook Project - Final Update

Here are the final pages. I had to clean these up quite a bit from the original scans. The wrinkled paper and the difficulty I had getting the book to lay flat on the scan bed was a real treat.... Especially at 2 am in the morning :)

click all images to enlarge

It was late on January 17th when I finished painting/writing. I then had to scan the last pages so that come daylight and a little sleep, I could bind the book into it's pink cover and send it on it's way.... deadline met.

My last words are from the heart after a very long journey.......

 

And, in it's entirety.......

Sketchbook Project Update 1

I was 3 spreads from finished on the 13th and knew an all-nighter would be in order. On the 14th, Art House Coop sent an email out changing the deadline from January 15th to the18th. Trust me, I was dancing around the studio after I read that email :) It seems bad weather everywhere was interfering with participants getting to the post office/delivery services and those companies getting packages delivered!

On the 18th, book in hand, I made it to the post office by 3 pm and sent my child off to Brooklyn, NY. My finished pieces of art become my children. They certainly carry a chunk of my soul.  Anyone else feel this way about your creations?

 The text around the edges of this spread reads:

We have lived in this neighborhood since May 2010. It borders a tidal creek and there is a golf course. It's such a treat to walk the cart path on holes 17 & 18 as the marsh borders these holes. Every day brings something wonderful to see and experience.

Please walk with us. I want to show you my favorite sights. I want to show you the things that fill me with wonder - it's like being a child all over again for me.

Nature. There is nothing like it!

Please click on image to enlarge

More to come :)

WORK FAST!

We had robins up in the woods recently, flocks of them!  When we went out to the shed yesterday afternoon to watch the snow, they'd come down to the wild honeysuckle bushes to feast--these were right outside the door.

I grabbed my sketchbook and stood at the door as long as they were in the bush, working with a black Prismacolor colored pencil and just the shapes...they were all fluffed up with their necks pulled down into their chest feathers for warmth!  (Who could blame them!)

This is what the bottom left fellow looked like, just my rough sketch...

I shot a few photos, too, so I could zoom in for color details when I added watercolor later--never could really see their feet, though, they were keeping them warm, too.

I use my journals like a diary, and like a calendar--I can go back through years' worth and find when I saw the first robins (or those wintering over), when the first snow was, where we ate when we were in California, what we discussed at that meeting, who attended the sketchcrawl, when the tree fell on the van, and more.


And yes, this WILL be in my "fast sketching techniques" mini-class, I took photos as I went, once I was adding color! You can find the classes here: http://cathyjohnson.info/online.html