WEEK 2

Week 2: Documenting the Area

What about that park?

This blog's purpose is for me to tell you what it is about Ravenna Park that makes it special, and what is inside of it that you maybe hadn't realized before reading this 10 week journal.
I'm starting to realize that documenting my entire natural area is going to be a challenge.  Its not overwhelming to look around and see all the different species around me, but the idea that it will constantly be changing, week to week, can sometimes be a little daunting.  I started out my journey today observing what I saw on my way down to my observation spot.  I filmed it as I walked down the trail.  The footage isn't good enough to put on this journal, but I used it to take note of what may or may not have been different compared to my spot.
The footage was mostly trees, and I could definitely tell that the trees are pretty similar all through the park.  I'm hoping that's what I'll learn when I return to the park tomorrow with my natural history class.

After having a workshop from expeditionary artist, Maria, and practicing lots of nature sketching a week ago, taking the time to sketch today while outside was more fun than when I attempted it last week!
Today my observations began with generally observing the area.  I knew some things might be a little different since it had been nine days since I had last been there.  So I took as much in as I could.  I then went back to my camera roll and my week 1 pictures, and tried to do some comparing.  The main difference, which I was glad to see, was color change, and wilting leaves.  Some of the leaves on the bushes in my area we slightly drooping, something I definitely hadn't taken note of last time.  I also noticed the tiniest amount of color change in a couple of the leaves near the ground.  Something else I'm remembering now is that the entrance to my spot, along with the moss and grasses, now seemed to be a covering of leaves from the trees above.  Directly above is a picture of the trees that were dropping their first fall leaves.  Observing my first changes in my spot, is a good introduction to what I hypothesize will be one of a lot more fall and winter like changes.


After I reacquainted myself with my surroundings, and the differences I noticed, I began to try and familiarize myself further with the details that washed over me last week.  I knew my assignment was to do some sketching, and since I was feeling a little hesitant to start this straight off, I decided to do a warm-up, as one would do before a math or writing class.  This here is what I chose to sketch just as my warm up to the sketching exercises, and below are the sketches I made:

 

The exercises given were to have us practice what we learned at our nature sketching workshop, as mentioned above.  To the left I included what I practiced sketching in nature while at that workshop late last week, because I think it is an important stepping stone to showing what I did for this week's journal entry.





Below are my sketches from the assignment.  The first was a study and memory draw (image #1). The one below is the contour sketch (#2), and below that is the gesture sketch.  The second image are the diagrammatic and the study draw sketches.  When I was in the zone sketching yesterday I neglected to look back at the assignment instructions, although I did remember to practice with pencil lines, texture, and depth throughout my sketching session.

Cassie Maylor