A study in color and detail of two birds I can find not too far from where I live. One of them, the mountain bluebird, I usually find only in western South Dakota. The blue jay I usually only see in the eastern part of the state.

Both present good challenges for me as I work at improving my observation skills, my sketching, and my use of watercolors.

And both are beautiful to observe in the wild.

A sketch features detailed illustrations and notes about a blue jay, including its colors and feather patterns; and a mountain blue bird, with notes about its color.