Line Field / review

Write an Observation Caption

A caption can preserve what you actually saw.

The small question

A caption can preserve what you actually saw. This exercise asks you to check a visible relation rather than judge whether the whole sketch is good.

Try it in front of the subject

Under a plant sketch, write the date, vantage point and one observed feature: for example, “upper leaf bends toward the window.” Keep a separate line for an interpretation or memory. Keep the first marks light enough that you can revise them after another look.

What this exercise cannot prove

Avoid naming a plant species from appearance alone unless you verified it. The caption is a drawing record, not an identification claim. An example can suggest where to look, but the scene in front of you is the evidence for your drawing.

A second pass

Return later and see whether the caption helps you locate the exact view without reading a long diary entry. Keep the first attempt beside the revision so you can see which choice changed.

A field-note challenge

A good caption can distinguish two drawings of the same plant: “left leaf overlaps stem from the desk chair” is more retrievable than “plant study.” Keep species guesses, memories and feelings in a separate sentence. The observed line should still make sense to you months later.