Reservoir Snipe
My local reservoir in North London is an amazing place to see common snipe because the shallow shoreline attracts them out into the open to feed in the mud. It’s been the first time ever over the last few days that I’ve had a chance to really observe them through drawing. I made pages of quick pencil and watercolour sketches on cartridge, not thinking about much other than the fun of observing, which I haven’t done for a while. The snipe go through collective bursts of activity, feeding, such as just before dusk or after rain which I had to work in tune with. Drawing also, as it always does, revealed slower movements in the landscape such as the water level diminishing when I drew the car seat picture or rising quite rapidly during heavy down pours on the 27th. Working quickly I found multiple possibilities, changing perspectives to explore new interests; changing scale or focusing on reflected form repetition, revealed interest. Stillness brought perfectly mirrored bird forms floating across darker reflections, rain formed patterns and debris became exciting forms and shapes.
um bs (rmg) draw; um bs cy, (Ly) seat + dark; ru cb rmg, um bu, bird (*drawing right eye*) dec2