bee sketches

i've read ahead a little this time and on the flight tonight started a couple of bee drawing exercises. i have a new lamy (med) pen and it's lovely to sketch with! would like to try the fine & extra fine next too. I only had one sketchbook so I'll need to transfer the pages to my theme book (and hope i didn't wreck it by drawing on both sides of the paper..)

i did a few separate body parts that I'd seen on an amazing closeup photo found whilst googling "bees" images.

this is the original close up photo and bee photo and honeycomb photo. i combined a couple of these in my drawings. i made some notes about how i can see the tests in my head. some black satin, hand stitching, shiny white/clear fabric, fraying for the hairs, woven circles for the eyes, some stitches I think will work for centre cirlce on the back and antannea, plus more. i can see it in my head, so I just need to get it to work in reality now!

via bee portraits - sam droege
— bee google image search. I hope to draw more of his photographs, as they are amazing. the colours!

via can bees be trained to sniff out cancer — bee google image search

via cavity bee — bee google image search

the black bee is the cavity bee — Communal Mining - Andrena Carantonica. I'll try some overseas honeybees and the native Australian bees also to show the yellow/gold and black/brown. also, i need to post about the bee houses made of flower petals - some of the most beautiful things I've seen.

and here's my sketches:
i hope this is the sort of progression / background drawings that should be in my theme book.. ie not just the final pieces? i think i didn't do enough of this in assignment 2 (or make it clear enough) so want to try focus more on this for subsequent assignments (& try be less distracted by other things)

still not sure if bees is enough for a theme yet. maybe birds and bees? though birds scope could be too wide.. maybe i'll use the birds for assignments 3 exercises to practice techniques and keep bees as my theme. need to make a decision!!

this is another bird drawing, based on one made of sticky tape that a sketching artcamp classmate made. i like it's pose, though hers looks much nicer.

i'll try some colour versions during the week if i have time in the hotel - expecting late nights at work this week. :( and try sort out a dedicated theme book too