I really enjoy running workshops, and getting people out and about doing some quick sketches using the birdwatching logbooks. Drawing birds is a great exercise though you need to be quick. Some centres have amazing facilities enabling live drawing sessions; Rye Harbour Discovery Centre is one such place, especially as there are often egrets and other relatively sedentary species to see and draw…and a cafe! Passerines are more tricky, even though we might see them more frequently at our bird tables and on walks or commutes.
With this in mind, I wanted to have the option of drawing birds in less accommodating venues, and I decided to purchase some large prints of birds that I could stick up on the walls of whatever room I was teaching in, and folk could have a go. Now, I am aware I say drawing from photos is not ideal, as it encourages a static and ‘copying’ mindset, rather than capturing movement and the gesture of the bird. I do understand however that this is quite a daunting prospect for beginners, or those not used to drawing live, so photos are an obvious choice.
I came across a great Instagram account: A.J. Critch Wildlife, and Alex also sells his prints on Etsy. They are perfect for what I need as they show the birds in natural surroundings, and although beautifully presented, not too overdone as some photography can become. Alex was wonderful to work with and we agreed on ten A4 Prints that I can use for the workshops. I am going to laminate them for protection, but I think they will work really well as a way for people to see how the shapes change depending on the angle of the bird, and how the light plays on the plumage.
It’s great to collaborate with other artists, and I’m looking forward to getting these beauties out on display.
If you are interested in booking a workshop for your family, team, or organisation, please contact me at jennifermooreartist [at] gmail.com for more details, or see the section on my website.
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