Sketching Waterfowl at Goose Pond
Class fee: $25/person
Registration is now open to SoWBA members!
Sketching live birds is an exercise in juggling! Join us to practice this fun way to deepen your experience in nature. Photo by Brenna Marsicek/SoWBA
Sketching birds from life can be tricky. The lighting can be funny, birds can be far away, and hardest of all… they move! In this Sketching Waterfowl class we'll share tips for getting quick sketches on paper while you're out in the field. You'll get to practice drawing using your eyes, binoculars, and spotting scopes. We'll spend a little time on some bird drawing basics, but if you'd like to brush up before the class, there are some resources listed below.
This class is ideal for beginning artists, people who have not practiced using optics while drawing, or those who want to grow their skills drawing living (moving!) birds.
We'll have 15 spotting scopes and 20 pairs of binoculars to share among participants. We will also provide sketching paper, pencils, clipboards, and erasers. If you would like to bring your own optics or art supplies, please do! You may sit or stand while you sketch. Please bring a blanket or lawn chair if you would like to use one. We'll be mostly stationary during this event, likely only walking 50 or so feet from where we parked the cars.
Some drawing resources from John Muir Laws - an excellent Nature Journaler and educator:
An amazing How to Draw Ducks video
How to get closer using binoculars (especially starting around 9 minutes).
The class is taught by Carolyn Byers, education director with Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance and marvelous artist. We’re excited to have fun doing some art with you that day!
Examples of the type of sketching we’ll do (of course, we won’t see penguins or flamingos at Goose Pond, but this gives you an idea of the type of art we’ll make!):
Sketches by Carolyn Byers
Register here!
Registration limited to 15 participants, and is now open to Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance members! Any remaining seats will open to the public on September 15.
Cover photo: Blue-winged Teal by Tom Koerner/USFWS
