Returning back to my observation site, The Mill Creek Nature Preserve, on October 7th, 2018, I arrived at 3:00 pm. Upon arrival, the ground was wet from the recent rainfall, the air was crisp, sharp, and cold, and the temperature was between 52 and 53 degrees Fahrenheit. The weather that day was mainly light wind, light grey and dark grey clouds, and some spotted rain. I began with the assignment of sketching. I found an unknown plant on the ground that was quite interesting to me, as well as simple to draw.
Buttercups (Ranunculus) used for Sketching Exercises
Sketch, Exercise 4. Contour Sketch, and Exercise 3. Memory Sketch
Exercise 5. Gesture Sketch #1 and #3
Exercise 5. Gesture Sketch #2, Exercise 6. Diagrammatic Drawing
Exercise 8. Study Drawing
After completing the exercises, I wandered around the observation area and came across some plants that were eye catching to me. The first plant I came across was orange, red and yellow, with red and orange spotting. The body of the flowering plant was the shape of an ice cream cone, but more rounded at the bottom tip, and the face of the flower, the bottom looks like a swollen red bottom lip, and the top is a normal plump lip. In between the face of the flower’s bottom swollen lip and normal plump lip, is a hole that enters the ‘mouth’ of the plant. The flower is mainly at the end or top of the stem, followed by green leaves on the stems and connecting branches. The leaves are beginning to have brown edges, the stems were quite flexible.
Common Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
Drawing sketch of Common Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
The second plant I came across was quite painful. I walked past this plant, and the thorns had stuck to me, prickling my legs. The plant was somewhat a tangled mess, where the ‘branches’ tangled with itself, as well as the plants around it. The older the plant, the harder and sharper the thorns were, while the new younger stems had thorns that were softer and duller. The older branches were more broader and thicker in diameter compared to the younger branches. The younger branches are more vibrant in the color green while the older branches are a lighter and duller shade of green. The leaves on the plant are spikey as well. The veins of the leaves were deep.
Armenian Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)
Drawing Sketch of Armenian Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)
The last plant was something I had walked past many times. It was hidden behind some long grass. The plant reminds me of a feather pen from the renaissance era as it is thicker on the bottom and thins toward the top. The leaves are quite thin in in width and the leaves were not parallel, but alternating between each side. The leaves are beginning to with on the base side as there are some brown spots.
Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)
Drawing Sketch of Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)
After the sketching exercises and drawing sketches of plants from my observation area, I stood still and just listened and embraced nature. It was quite at first. After a few minutes, I heard some bird sounds, to which it sounded like high pitched whistling. The sounds were short, not exactly sing-songy. It kind of sounded like two balloons rubbing against one another. Another bird I heard were the cawing of crows. It was loud and overwhelming. Swimming on the pond were four mallard ducks resting near the end of the pond. There weren't a lot of movement at the Nature Preserve, but when the wind blew, the fallen leaves and the leaves on the trees would rustle. There were more leaves found on the ground. The leaves on the trees are beginning to turn to a lighter green color, orange, and red as the season of Fall is approaching.
Mallard Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) swimming and napping on pond
Update Photo at the Observation Site
Update photo of the 1 sq. m
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