Monday, January 16, 2012

Illustration Friday: Prepare

 Pencil (HB) on Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper

For this week's topic of prepare, here's a little sketch of a bird's nest that we found in our yard a while back. Nests are fascinating to examine—this one was completely lined with mud, in preparation for its important occupants. 

I'm hoping that the nesting box on my front porch that I showed you here last spring will have a new resident soon. When I wrote about that one, my son was staying with us briefly before heading out to study spotted owls in the Sierra. He's now part of the California condor study program at Pinnacles National Monument. But  our daughter that graduated from college last June will soon be ending her dietetic internship in Houston, and preparations are underway to welcome her back home for a while. You just never know how long an empty nest will stay empty! 

22 comments:

  1. I find nest amazing to look at (and watch being built if you're in the right spot) - so much time and energy goes into them.

    I think your sketch reflects well the craftmanship - gorgeous!

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  2. Such a beautiful sketch! Found you on Illustration Friday. Have a great week!

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  3. Regarding the empty nest: it's always good when they swoop back from time to time :) ...and what a beautiful, intricate, delicate drawing!! Love it!

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  4. This is wonderful! You captured that fragile delicate look of a bird's nest so perfectly. I love how all the strands intertwine! Beautiful work!

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  5. This is a really great sketch. Nice job linking up the text with the sketch, too.

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  6. A lovely idea for the theme and illustrates 'prepare' perfectly.

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  7. Just looking at a nest makes one think of all the preparation and work. Perfect! Beautiful drawing.

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  8. Great illustration Sarah love all the weaving lines, fab :)

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  9. the tones in this are gorgeous! I love finding empty bird's nests!

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  10. Goodness, gracious, Sarah! I apologize for my delay..and I have missed far too many gorgeous illustrations and interesting posts! Shame on me! What a beautiful illustration..nests are so amazing. The hummingbird nest was something my daughter was so drawn to at the CalAcademy of Sciences last year. We then started trying to spot hummingbirds to see if we could spot a nest..but alas. I'm wishing you a warm week or so..looks like rains finally coming. Thank you for your super visit and I am trying to be better to visit more often and post more regularly too. Take good care!

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  11. This is a beautiful drawing. I like that you left it black and white. Do you know what kind of bird lived/lives in this nest?

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  12. Sarah, your bird's nest is amazing...such detail! What a funny coincidence.

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  13. Beautiful!! I love the darker lines on the outline of the branches.

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  14. I can only endorse all the comments above -- beautifully done.

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  15. Ah yes, human fledglings do tend to circle back to the nest now & then while testing their wings!
    Beautifully intricate drawing. I love the structures of birds's nests & the sometimes surprising materials they use.

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  16. Lovely drawing. I love looking at nests - so intricately woven! I have an empty nest again now that my younger daughter has returned to Sydney!

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  17. Wow!
    That's a little sketch?!
    What does a big sketch look like?
    This is gorgeous. I just found your blog. Beautiful work!

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  18. I gave you an award Sarah. Go here for the details: http://lindahensley.blogspot.com/2012/01/versatile-blogger-award.html

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  19. Aww this is so beautiful. Excellent line work and shadow. Interesting discussion of the topic. We have a bird's nest in our backyard too :) the mother bird permanently lives there to have her babies... she is really fertile!

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