Birdy Journeys - Nature Haiku's

Documenting my experiences in nature with little picture poems - visual nature haiku's.

A few of the birdys I've seen below: house finch, northern beardless Tyranulet, yellow warbler, Wilson's warbler, western tanager, Lucy's warbler, vermillion flycatcher, black throated sparrow, elf owl, verdin.

Watercolor, ink letters  ©Sue Betanzos

Today, Ash throated flycatcher at Isabella Lee Nature Preseve with the guidance of Kendall Kroisen from Audubon.

10 Free Artist Reference Photo Sites

Getting great photo reference is an essential part of a representational artist's research. If you are like me and don't have a high end camera with good telephoto lens, you rely on another's talent in this area if you want wildlife close ups.

Once a composition is designed, I often combine several photos in Photoshop. This Quail Whimsey is about five different photo references combined:

Quail Whimsey   Colored Pencil Painting   9x 12"   ©Sue Betanzos

available here 

While I like taking my own photos for small things, here are my top sites and some are free, for great photos:

• Paint My Photo  - Free site.  The photos are donated on a wide variety of subjects. Just make sure to credit the photographer when you post images of your art.

• Pixabay.com -  Free site. Photos are donated on many subjects. Credit the photographer if you post images of your art from their photo.

• Morgue file  - Free site. Make sure to credit the photographer when you post images of your art.

• Unsplash.com - Free site to download hi resolution photos.

• Stocksnap.com - Free site for hi resolution photos to download.

• Photos for artists -  Free site. A Great Facebook site with tons of donated photos on everything. It's a closed group so you have to ask to join and be on Facebook.

• WildlifeReferencePhotos.com  Only 5.00 per high resolution image - what a deal. Compare to the usual 20 - 40.00 for most stock sites. Nice photos with correct animal names to search from.

• Birding - Arizona and the Southwest. Facebook group site. One of my favorite sites for bird photos. A Facebook closed group, you can ask to join. Everyone is very nice and some may give permission for photo use.

• The Hummingbird Whisperer  Facebook group site with nice hummer pics. Some may give permission for photo use.

• Flicker.com - Social media site. A wonderful site to look at amazing photos. Search your subject and Ask the photographer if you can use a photo you love. Always give the photographer credit.

I have my eye on a Cannon power shot sx50 via ebay and Amazon, but it takes much more than good equipment for excellent photos. It's worth it to go to the experts when you want a great photo.

Lucy's Warbler Watercolor

A week ago I heard a very different call, right outside my door.
Today I finally glimpsed the bird singing in the dense branches of mesquite trees. It was hard because the bird was small, grey and very quick - flitting from branch and tree.
I've since discovered that most warblers are small and very quick, as they eat the insects.

It was fun solving the puzzle because for a while all I could hear was the call. Plus I was determined to find it.
Once sited and after a bit of searching with sound and site matching I learned I had spied a Lucy's Warbler. It's call was insistent, distinctive.
Here is the little bird gem that I torpedoed a mornings work to find. Dashing out whenever I heard it's call in hopes of spotting it!

Lucy's Warbler Field Study - Watercolor, colored pencil

While searching I was also treated to bright red Cardinal, Phainopepla, cheerful House Finches, Mourning Doves, and a lovely rich orange Queen Butterfly!

Also, yesterday around 6 pm on returning from my jog I stopped to watch a Cooper's Hawk dine on a fresh dove. It was amazing how fast it finished. The hawk has a large nest in a large tree by my house. Ruby amber eyes flashed in the late sunset as it neatly finished it's meal.

Time to get back to work - Continuing on my fun new Birdy Journey - I am Drawn By Nature.

Sunday Hidden Magic

A few birds from last Sunday's birding. I'm going to go back for some field sketching before it gets too hot.
Meanwhile I have written notes and get reference photos from favorite photo sites I will share in another post. The best part after the adventure is painting and drawing with my notes!

My nature list and a few subjects.

Color By Number Hummingbird Class

Here is the design for the May 4 coloring class at Kirk-Bear Canyon Library which will have a simple animal color by number.

The design has a few numbered areas that will help understand shading for beginners. Especially in the feather areas. There will be a walk though demo, step by step showing what colors to layer where.

The hummingbird design is available at the Pima County Library in a bilingual coloring book I illustrated for the Tucson Botanical Garden years ago called My New Backyard Garden.

Student materials:
• Quality colored pencils
• Watercolors or watercolor pencils
• Couple of small brushes #1 & #2  or a fine to medium water brush.
• Enthusiasm and a smile!

I am Drawn By Nature

Drawn to Nature like a magnet in the mornings. It's the cool spring weather that motivates me to get out and see as many birds and wildlife as I can.

Saw a lot of activity this morning on Tanque Verde Loop which I will record with a list of birdies and a few sketches such as the ones below from Woodland Road the other day. Bright yellow warblers, scarlet red Cardinals, jewel hummingbirds - so many it was exciting.

My current birding will keep me outside until the extreme heat hits. Then lots of painting inside!
Next time I'll try a little plein air sketching - trees :)

Nature Journal. Derwent, polychromos colored pencils, watercolors

Barn Owl Study #4

A quick little barn owl study that turned out to be not so quick as I used the watercolor pencils, water color and colored pencils.
Kept adding more detail, tightening it up. A key to any artwork is to Know when to Stop  :)

Still loving the water brushes. Played with watercolor paper in a notebook for this one.

Almost finished!

Barn Owl Study 4, mixed media, 9x7"

Watercolor Pencil Class April 6

Just a reminder about the Watercolor Pencil Class on April 6 at the Kirk -Bear Canyon Library.
That's Wednesday from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.
Image of roses will be supplied. Student materials list below at the end.

This class is about using watercolor pencils to enhance the colored pencil as an underpainting. It's Not a watercolor class, which is another subject.
The class will cover using watercolor pencils as sketching tools and as part of a mixed media with the colored pencils - the best of both worlds!

Some materials students will need for the class are below.  A possible continuation of the mixed media in animal and landscape sketches in May.





As you can see,  images of roses are chosen - the roses are blooming now! I love going to see rose gardens. Mesquite Gardens here in Tucson has an Amazing selection of gorgeous roses :)

Now for supplies the student will need:
• Watercolor Pencils. Prismacolor, Derwent, Faber Castell are all great choices.
• Your colored pencils.
• Pencil sharpener.
• Watercolor brushes (synthetic 2, 4, are good sizes) or Aqua Brushes as in the second photo with clear barrel.
** Aqua Brushes are synthetic brushes that hold water in the barrel so you don't have to carry water. I love them and use them more than my regular brushes now. Mostly the medium & fine sizes.

• Optional: watercolor pan set.
The trick with these when using them for the coloring books is to use Very Little Water. Most papers are not made for wet materials and will buckle if over soaked.
The Aqua brushes give more control for water use.

• Optional: Images of roses as reference for shading and color.

Rose Rainbow

This design is a repeat type from a coloring book I actually bought. Most of the books out there don't appeal to me At All, but this one did for a few designs.  It's called Joyous Blooms. I know part of the appeal was the flowers and quotes, which I love.

It was fun to experiment with for watercolor on the Bristol Vellum. To see how much water the paper could take before deteriorating or buckling too much. Overall it did surprisingly well. Good for student practice. Below are materials used for this project.







Materials for Watercolor Pencil Session April 6, 5:30 - 7:30:
• Watercolor pencils or watercolor set.
• Water brush and or 2 brushes: #1 round brush, #2 round brush. Synthetic.
• Colored Pencils
• Clipboard or other board to tape your project onto.

A 5x7" design will be provided. Pencil sharpeners will be available for use.
Aaron Brothers, Michaels, Jo-Anns, Sarnoffs are resources for the materials.
Call or go online to their websites to make sure they have them in stock.

Screech Owl in Colored Pencil

I'm calling this little Eastern Screech Owl done. Started as a small study, it developed into a tighter artwork. It's easy to get lost in the pattern of the feathers.
Colored pencils are an excellent media for the tiny details. Pencils used: Faber Castell polychromos, Prismacolor colored pencils, Prismacolor Verithins.

Whooo, me?  5"x7" colored pencil on Strathmore paper. Available

Big Kitty

On the easel, Big Kitty. A very lovable sweet senior companion who literally came with the farm house. His crooked little paw (from an earlier injury) did not hinder him and his favorite toy was bailing string :)  Love the senior companions.

Creative Coloring Students

Yesterday's colored pencil class had a nice turnout and everyone had fun. I hope all came away with at least one good tip to improve their future coloring experiences.
The sample coloring cards provided a practice area to try out blending, shading, different colored pencil brands, new materials. It's a nice introduction to the world of colored pencils.





There are so Many, many ways to use them and the best fun is experimenting with new materials, techniques. Having someone in person show them where you can ask questions is helpful in addition to the tons of information found in bookstores, internet etc.

One of the things I really enjoy is the camaraderie and interest we experience when getting together with like minded enthusiasts. Coloring is relaxing, fun and easy to learn. Get a few basic shading and blending techniques down to take it even further. It's addicting.

Maybe we can start a Coloring Club...  :)
It's nice to get together, share information and just talk art. Find quality artist supplies at Sarnoffs and additional local places.