I was minding my own business in the Arboretum, just sitting at a picnic table admiring the lines of the cobbles and the lush ferns against the rocks when an Oregon Junko landed right in front of me. For just a moment he was still but his shadow seemed to be moving slightly, rising as if to take flight and leave his body behind. I didn't have my sketchbook in hand and even if I did I would have missed the moment, trying to get it down on paper. Birds are very frustrating to draw for that reason but Junkos are so fun to watch! They will hop up on a grass stem to pin the head down so they can eat the seeds. They are so focused and nonchalant about it. You know if a human figured out a trick like that they would have to boast and blog about it and forever be proud. Speaking of which, this is my first intaglio print. It's drypoint, meaning I scratched the drawing directly onto the copper plate. The metal burrs are what hold the ink for printing. Drypoint generally gives a darker, softer line then etching.
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