Keeping a Bird Watching Nature Journal ($5 fee for materials)
Details
Keeping a Bird Watching Nature Journal invites you into a very personal relationship with the birds you love through sketches, photos, written memories of an experience, field notes and poetry. It’s a great tool for novice birders. For experienced birders, a nature journal complements “Life Lists." It will improve your observation skills!!!!
“…When I am drawing I look more closely, and ask and answer questions that I would not have considered if I were just watching. In that sense, drawing becomes a way to interact with the birds, and drawing leads to understanding,” wrote David Allen Sibley in his foreword to The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds, by John Muir Laws. Sibley is an ornithologist, and author and illustrator of The Sibley Guide to Birds. Laws is an Internationally recognized artist, naturalist, author, and educator.
This workshop will help you learn the basics of creating a Bird Watching Nature Journal page. You will learn some simple sketching and watercolor painting techniques for drawing birds. HB pencils, watercolor pencils and paints, white and toned watercolor papers, brushes, palettes, waterproof ink pens, water brushes, washi tape, stamps and inks, will be provided for creating your own journal pages. A $5.00 donation is requested to cover the cost of materials.
Sample nature journaling pages and a variety of books offering journal page ideas will be provided for you to use and explore. Feel free to bring your own photos and/or cell and iPad images to sketch from and books of favorite poetry.
You will be able to take your drawings and journal pages with you to tape into a sketchbook, but feel free to bring one to the workshop. I recommend using a 6x8" or 5x7” sketchbook with at least 100 lb. weight paper to handle light watercolor washes.
We will have a Potluck lunch so please bring your own drink and a dish to share. Plates, napkins & utensils will be provided. Space is limited to 15 people so registration is required. Contact Elaine Sevy, yorkiemum.sevy95@gmail.com, to sign up.
Artist, Naturalist Elaine Sevy (Certified Virginia Master Naturalist, Fairfax Chapter) will be your instructor. She has led Nature Journaling events at Lake Accotink Park for more than 3 years. After retiring from a rewarding career with the National Park Service, Elaine pursued her dream of becoming an artist naturalist She is a Springfield Art Guild board member, and a juried member of the Potomac Valley Watercolorists. Her Nature Journaling programs are inspired by the work of John Muir Laws (johnmuirlaws.com).
Special Note: Audubon's 120th Christmas Bird Count will be conducted between the dates of Saturday, December 14, 2019 through Sunday, January 5, 2020. For information about local counts, please visit audubonva.org (Audubon Society of Northern Virginia) and audubon.org (National Audubon Society). You also can join Elaine Sevy, who will be participating in the Lake Accotink Park CBC, Dec. 29.