The Life of Birds

Today I attempted some gesture drawing from an episode of The Life of Birds. As I reached the end of Planet Earth II last year I realised I really should have had my sketchbook out. It’s good training for cafe gesture drawing, which I’m normally pretty hopeless at. As soon as people or animals are actually moving my drawing speed seems to slow down.

I stuck my headphones in and ended up listening to the episode too, which was perhaps a mistake – I was definitely distracted at points. But it was fascinating learning more about the birds, particularly the New Zealand birds. I liked drawing the Kiwi but it was the flightless parrot, the Kakapo, which was my favourite. I especially like how the males inflate like a balloon in order to make their calls travel further.

After the episode had finished I looked up a few images online and did a slightly more detailed study of a Kakapo.

I had great fun but I think I need to work at drawing birds in flight, and practice colour more – I’ve been drawing in black and white so much I’m a bit rusty.