A PLUME OF ONE’S OWN
SEEKING OUT FEATHERS AND MAKING A SIMPLE SKETCH OF YOUR FINDS IS A WAY TO APPRECIATE THE NATURE AROUND YOU
Whether woodland path or urban street, keeping an eye out for stray feathers as you move about is one way to stay alert to nature during daily life. This project by Emma Mitchell (@silverpebble2) shows how making a simple sketch is a way to gain an even greater appreciation of your finds. As Emma says, “On close examination every feather is beautiful.”
Each feather is made of a central shaft, or rachis (say ‘raykiss’), edged on both sides by delicate fibres known as barbs. These have microscopic hooks that interlock to ensure that the feather is able to push air downwards and create lift effectively. Emma describes them as “small pieces of natural engineering. Each one you find has been partly responsible for innumerable flights, which is rather humbling.”
This technique will help you get started and works for any feather. Don’t worry about producing an exact replica – in Emma’s experience, “stylised, simplistic drawings can be just as eye-catching as photographically detailed ones”. One of Emma’s favourites is a jay’s feather, found in her village wood. “It’s rather small and blackish in colour, but is hatched with the most vivid kingfisher blue,” she says. “It is one of my most precious nature finds.” With pleasure both in the finding and in the recording, it’s an activity that allows pause for nature within the routine of everyday life.
you will need:
Paper – any will do, but thick, textured paper is most satisfying Pen, pencil or ink and brush Collection of feathers
1 Take a good look at your feather. The central rachis is the best place to begin. Note how far down the shaft protrudes from the bottom of the barbs and where the quill (the hollow part of the shaft) ends. Make a mental note of the curve of the shaft and then begin. Drawing a single line for the shaft is great for your first attempt – the aim isn’t achieving perfection, but to roughly represent proportions.
2 Draw an outline of the barbs. Capturing the overall shape of the feather is the aim here – again, it does not have to look like a photograph.
3 In two or three areas along the length of the rachis draw in a few barbs. Odd numbers look especially effective. If the barbs have split from one another in one or two places, draw these triangular gaps in the barbs and erase the corresponding area of outline.
4 Add any downy or fluffy barbs, if your feather has them, at the base, and add an extra line to widen the central shaft – close to the original line at the top of the feather, and slightly further away towards the quill end, suggesting increased thickness.
5 That’s it! A simple line drawing of a feather. If it looks a little like your dog may have drawn it, then remember: wonkiness is beautiful.