Though, perhaps, not as glamorous or inspiring as some sketching tips, planning ahead is essential for getting the kinds of results you want from sketching in the field.
What I've been doing to get ready for this trip-of-a-lifetime can be useful prep for sketching in almost any location:
1. Organize sketching materials.
Go through your materials, and decide what you absolutely need to have along; the less you have to carry, the less you'll have to deal with in terms of weight. You have fewer distractions and choices when you need to focus on sketching quickly. And of course, the less you bring, the less you are likely to misplace.
In my case, I've been doing color mixing exercises, to figure out exactly which watercolors I was going to pack, and which I could leave home. I've also pared down my watercolor kit to a water brush and this great pocket-sized palette from expedition artist Maria Coryell-Martin.
2. Sketch from pictures, to get practice with common subjects.
Most of the time, I advocate drawing from real life if at all possible. But, there's no zoo nearby, so drawing from pictures and wildlife documentaries has given me a basic sense of how East African animals move, stand, etc. The study sketches I've done will give me a head start when I encounter the real thing.
See Jenny Keller's essay in Field Notes on Science and Nature for a lot more details about preparatory sketching.
Note that drawings made from others' photos or videos shouldn't be used for anything other than your own training, because the images originated in someone else's creative work.
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A recently published study underscores the value of drawing what you want to remember.
 "Importantly, the quality of the drawings people made did not seem to matter, suggesting that everyone could benefit from this memory strategy, regardless of their artistic talent. In line with this, we showed that people still gained a huge advantage in later memory, even when they had just 4 seconds to draw their picture," said Jeffrey Wammes, the study's lead author.
Read a detailed summary of the paper here.
Of course, I'll be drawing like crazy on my trip, trying to capture details of the tortoises, hares, the landscape, and everything else I see.
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Last month, I gave a mini-workshop about using drawing in science classes at the University of Wyoming. The facilitation tips I provided are relevant to sketchers of any age, from k12 to university and beyond.
The facilitation tips I shared are, when I stop to think about it, equally relevant to personal sketching work. Here are a few points to keep in mind when using sketching in the classroom or for your own purposes:
- Shift the focus/assessment away from drawing skills; focus instead on learning and close observation.
- Emphasize accuracy & depth of observation.
- Draw frequently and informally, not just in high-stakes situations.
- Provide explicitly clear rubrics when assessing drawings for a grade.
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I've been reading a lot, and stocking up on reading materials for the trip.
Here is a list of the books I'm working through:
- An Artist's Safari
- A Small Piece of Africa & On a Kenya Ranch**
- Dark Star Safari
- Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna*
- Green Hills of Africa
- Laikipia - A Natural History Guide*
- Out of Africa**
- Striving for the Wind*
- Swahili Phrasebook & Dictionary
- The Promised Land*
- The Shadow of the Sun
- West with the Night
- plus animal and bird guides & two more books by Kenyan authors that I will pick up in Nairobi
* = Kenyan author
** = author is/was Kenyan resident
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Order by April 29 for May gifts (for yourself and others!)
As I mentioned above, I'll be away in May. So, this is your last chance to order for anything you want in May.
Regular order fulfillment will end April 29 and resume again June 1.
Currently in stock:
- Several card collections
- Sketching kits
- Artful gifts
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Upcoming Events
1. Science Initiative Summer Institute on Active Learning
hosted by the University of Wyoming Science Initiative
I will be one of the instructors for this week-long professional development institute focused on active instruction in university-level science classes. If you are a UW faculty or graduate student, consider applying here.
June 8-12, 2016
University of Minnesota/University of Wyoming
2. Summer Teaching Instittue
hosted by University of Wyoming Art Museum
I will be one of the instructors for this week-long professional development institute focused on integrating science and art in k12 education. Contact the UW Art Museum directly to register.
July 25-29, 2016
Laramie WY
Looking for training? If you'd like to schedule a public workshop, artist residency, or professional development training, let me know!
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News
Writing Projects
Now Online!
Summer Workshops
in Montana
I'm in the process of organizing a couple of workshops in Montana for this summer.
Hopefully, I'll soon be able to announce dates for a session in Helena and another in Great Falls. There's also a possibility of a joint workshop/art show in Missoula.
If you or someone you know is in any of those areas and might want to participate, let me know!
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"The most beautiful thing
