tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49348615598592172582024-03-19T02:50:37.134-07:00Claire scribblesA place for stuff I make.MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-36442624184500795382010-05-08T11:41:00.000-07:002010-05-08T11:44:08.383-07:00Barnacle Goose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmlRejQIPdCZHPdWm4YzuNmVGJAYisxWkQEtCOeKfQOj5pJPHbl68Ol4KM828EP2YWmVqk7uWvwKr5mAPxLdCyWX1eB8fPfVsTSOwyFgFsBLzTCRmdHxs3454qB9oxXmJplwMPmIGFtxP/s1600/2010.3.9.Barnacle.Goose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmlRejQIPdCZHPdWm4YzuNmVGJAYisxWkQEtCOeKfQOj5pJPHbl68Ol4KM828EP2YWmVqk7uWvwKr5mAPxLdCyWX1eB8fPfVsTSOwyFgFsBLzTCRmdHxs3454qB9oxXmJplwMPmIGFtxP/s320/2010.3.9.Barnacle.Goose.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stately bird on a pink background. I'm not sure if the roundness of his body translated with the ink. But I like the openness of the background. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am pondering if I should roll out another length of rag paper and abuse it with watercolors to make backgrounds for more birds... BUT I have all this nice white cardstock that I rescued from the recycling bins at work (with the rebranding, we are changing all our paperstock, and huge boxes were up for being tossed. A bunch of us artist types grabbed the nice invites and divvied them up). So I really don't need more paper!</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-81265502490808624312010-05-08T11:37:00.000-07:002010-05-08T11:37:12.731-07:00Belted Kingfisher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQkuPozba4sIk1FS2HV59GodeSKhtQxXnghfsleqTP4iQ5YUQtRa-5spzxtxXrRPn2YTe5PE3ZYAY77p6m393ZJmfeLSTEzCnXdx-7ggChdCRNGZK8L269AwtPcaMh0uETRcnZlowDolL/s1600/2010.3.8.Belted.Kingfisher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdQkuPozba4sIk1FS2HV59GodeSKhtQxXnghfsleqTP4iQ5YUQtRa-5spzxtxXrRPn2YTe5PE3ZYAY77p6m393ZJmfeLSTEzCnXdx-7ggChdCRNGZK8L269AwtPcaMh0uETRcnZlowDolL/s320/2010.3.8.Belted.Kingfisher.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dive-bombing bird. I am pleased with the stripey pattern on the tail section, and the overall outline is nice, too. I am less sure about how it fit into this odd paper/background image choice. I was trying to use some of the more complicated chunks of torn paper... squares with big printed images on them are tough. Do you acknowledge the image and tie it in, treat it like a background element, or do you try incorporating it into the body of the bird, thereby partially hiding it from view? I have tried all three, with mixed success. I'm not sure about this one. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-14306955685246352982010-05-08T11:33:00.000-07:002010-05-08T11:33:12.721-07:00Toco Toucan Chicks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitY6Kvd0JnlWHljkFK0jJo4Dwp5uoUwaIavCWP09nVBt4VEYgPWhkmDvKZtWdwvaR3bisfttlzsiPiDT3UvJtr7IyQqS8a5KaDiWK63QP7e3Pma4wTheUF8Baau9Q6XUx0tVzxZRe2LMH6/s1600/2010.3.7.Toco.Toucan.Chicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitY6Kvd0JnlWHljkFK0jJo4Dwp5uoUwaIavCWP09nVBt4VEYgPWhkmDvKZtWdwvaR3bisfttlzsiPiDT3UvJtr7IyQqS8a5KaDiWK63QP7e3Pma4wTheUF8Baau9Q6XUx0tVzxZRe2LMH6/s320/2010.3.7.Toco.Toucan.Chicks.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This drawing is a bit of an experiment. It's the first time this year that I drew unfeathered chicks (rather than a juvenile or adult). It's also the first time that I drew more than one bird in a composition. It seems like I've been drawing "portraits" of individual birds.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I was drawn to this image because the chicks form such a nice little <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_knot">celtic knot</a> of naked bird-y pinkness. I love the way their necks are intertwined over one another in their sleep. Also, the outline is an almost perfect triangle (which, according to my art history learning, is the most stable of all compositions). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It also tickles me that these guys are toco toucans, the same bird as that obnoxious <a href="http://www2.kelloggs.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?brand=153&product=566&cat=">Toucan Sam</a> in all the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVHvrsoy9P0">Froot Loops commercials</a>. And yes, it is spelled "froot," lest anyone get the notion that there is actual FRUIT contained in those tiny <a href="http://www2.kelloggs.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?brand=153&product=566&cat=">sugar bombs</a>. So I'm very happy that these toco toucans look absolutely nothing like the Kellogs spokesbird. yay.</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-25545242481950248332010-05-06T19:59:00.000-07:002010-05-06T19:59:48.932-07:00Juvenile Ruby Throated Hummingbird<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPfjtD91DfcqqxCPH3oez2GmtJfj_onL0PXK9hHgqMJSMAuuveT565Zo5BEWEi8aIF4Vsx7s2ecqPRbLNXTSWAiH6TWQ_wK6fkIM79saRAL4hdf9qmObfh8c-J9rsjjE5Cc5oxDN6wIT8/s1600/2010.3.6.Juvenile.Ruby.Throated.Hummingbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPfjtD91DfcqqxCPH3oez2GmtJfj_onL0PXK9hHgqMJSMAuuveT565Zo5BEWEi8aIF4Vsx7s2ecqPRbLNXTSWAiH6TWQ_wK6fkIM79saRAL4hdf9qmObfh8c-J9rsjjE5Cc5oxDN6wIT8/s320/2010.3.6.Juvenile.Ruby.Throated.Hummingbird.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, I was saying that color scares me. And this is the perfect example. I chose to draw a hummingbird - a RUBY-THROATED, no less. And what do I do? I chose a close up of a juvenile's head. A juvenile who is too young to have developed that famous ruby throat. He is still a hum drum grey, with only a few tiny flashes of yellow-green to show off. But oh, those tiny flashes took me forever! I agonized on how to get that shiny shiny glow of those eight little feathers. Unfortunately, the scan doesn't quite capture how successful this effort turned out. You'll just have to come visit me (or my show, if these ever get shown anywhere?)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">One thing that tickles me about this drawing: I did such a super close up on the hummingbird, that the drawing of just his head is far larger than the actual bird! I see these in my front yard all the time, and they are so tiny and quick. Zooom!</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-51949690384883875762010-05-06T19:54:00.000-07:002010-05-06T20:18:12.698-07:00Clay Colored Robin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpoOxh7i80zUULEfkM1EueJHBzfXHUUF42Q6jKcwhacfcyQt40goJh1Ju960u76pfPrU2ZlEAogvSbu5P5uDzWb9WRBhYI6le5j6Zyc4Si4qmWALyjYUaGLWh3Dg-wNy0QtQZMF5R1rsm/s1600/2010.3.5.Clay.Colored.Robin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpoOxh7i80zUULEfkM1EueJHBzfXHUUF42Q6jKcwhacfcyQt40goJh1Ju960u76pfPrU2ZlEAogvSbu5P5uDzWb9WRBhYI6le5j6Zyc4Si4qmWALyjYUaGLWh3Dg-wNy0QtQZMF5R1rsm/s320/2010.3.5.Clay.Colored.Robin.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I saw the words "clay-colored" I was expecting a very plain bird. And mostly, it is rather plain looking by all accounts. But even with a plain coat, I was entranced by that copper-colored eye. And the more I looked, the more color I found: green and orange flashes in the bill. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Color is dangerous for me, because I don't really understand it. My crap art school education at UC Berkeley taught me nothing of color theory, and I've worn only black for nearly two of my three decades. Color is scary. But the more I look for it, the more I find it in these wonderful little birds. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-46200022697738945272010-04-17T13:24:00.000-07:002010-04-17T13:24:27.483-07:00Black-Breasted Puffbird<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTobFtwG7rSFz-hdAXzniP7XZRAlvPHI3pMzOE36DsPuvq0o5nas0eza-rKHuofDSFuuw0HuHhXPkoBFYqTrdnUgGcqjvr8Vz9Mi3ZeuLEeMVrj2ppiHSH7i3dEB0K4lSa1zhGTuVcYLbp/s1600/2010.3.4.Blackbreasted.Puffbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTobFtwG7rSFz-hdAXzniP7XZRAlvPHI3pMzOE36DsPuvq0o5nas0eza-rKHuofDSFuuw0HuHhXPkoBFYqTrdnUgGcqjvr8Vz9Mi3ZeuLEeMVrj2ppiHSH7i3dEB0K4lSa1zhGTuVcYLbp/s320/2010.3.4.Blackbreasted.Puffbird.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I drew another <a href="http://clairescribbles.blogspot.com/2010/02/puffbird.html">Puffbird</a> in February. This one is in the same family. I was drawn to this photo because of the perspective, which is different from the other photos I've been using. Also, this is probably a more realistic angle to see any of these birds!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-73497107849764684502010-04-17T13:20:00.000-07:002010-04-17T13:20:11.478-07:00Groove Billed Ani<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9TxyihXR_sMrqe_nVyXK0yKgx726g2EUjqiz-4M6FpQd9V4THpbSs0gcgIm25njGlVmwPT3uqOYBGb9oOUgFXh5CZ45mvuDRQjH3n7pm3Sg2IeaWeWNg5gYAsUrwGTKBilNsjOBsqXO4/s1600/2010.3.3.Groovebilled.Ani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9TxyihXR_sMrqe_nVyXK0yKgx726g2EUjqiz-4M6FpQd9V4THpbSs0gcgIm25njGlVmwPT3uqOYBGb9oOUgFXh5CZ45mvuDRQjH3n7pm3Sg2IeaWeWNg5gYAsUrwGTKBilNsjOBsqXO4/s320/2010.3.3.Groovebilled.Ani.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The groove billed ani is a member of the cuckoo family. Cuckoos are distinct because they have two toes that point forward and two that point back (unlike the more common bird foot, three forward and one back.)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I didn't know it was a type of cuckoo when I drew it. But I thought that big hooked bill made it look kind of menacing, like a raven or other scavenger. So I picked this background to go with that mood. Ominous. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-21277319314044907532010-04-17T13:12:00.000-07:002010-04-17T13:12:03.622-07:00Common Shelduck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7vDBq8nRUEjr3tcURmXTs5C5815ZJaA-DgvgauUjkggZJ9dPCynfsN7EkwgoiS_qJ8fubdbC8cp5Ue8vZF9P34a9OnUPpPxABypV892pe-bqF5RH8LB_qxJ0x2EyI2xU4Ie1f-Q-8G3B/s1600/2010.3.2.Common.Shelduck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7vDBq8nRUEjr3tcURmXTs5C5815ZJaA-DgvgauUjkggZJ9dPCynfsN7EkwgoiS_qJ8fubdbC8cp5Ue8vZF9P34a9OnUPpPxABypV892pe-bqF5RH8LB_qxJ0x2EyI2xU4Ie1f-Q-8G3B/s320/2010.3.2.Common.Shelduck.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Neat bright red bills on the shelduck. I had fun with this one, using my watercolor pencils. I don't usually use the watercolor-ness of them to the full advantage, but it seems to work really well when doing both the shiny beak texture and a mass of evenly smooth feathers. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-2724265178981706892010-04-17T13:09:00.000-07:002010-04-17T13:09:47.372-07:00Abyssinian Ground Hornbill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4eTserLed0iHj7w4HiluP6pCMz4pHs1c0tlVylsme_9AjcMPbn8T8SZWLKmgUdrktW2ZUCpYoYzAGMkdXvOC4pnglrXKepsHk4wR5QIrnLuFhxOjG3zV6MDlsEfzSpS61sx_fGouJxdD/s1600/2010.3.1.Abyssinan.Ground.Hornbill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4eTserLed0iHj7w4HiluP6pCMz4pHs1c0tlVylsme_9AjcMPbn8T8SZWLKmgUdrktW2ZUCpYoYzAGMkdXvOC4pnglrXKepsHk4wR5QIrnLuFhxOjG3zV6MDlsEfzSpS61sx_fGouJxdD/s320/2010.3.1.Abyssinan.Ground.Hornbill.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He looks sleepy. He also looks fake. But I swear to you that this is what this bird looks like. They are kind of weird and plasticy and bizarrely textured. I wonder what they would feel like...</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-72986095279754785732010-04-17T13:07:00.000-07:002010-04-17T13:07:19.482-07:00Crowned Eagle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3uapp2_qZ-kiJ66FUAXnTlCp9pdFdoN7NxGAuAj_Yq-73Z_K_sq9xk6NYYm2RG4s57NxaZ-e5sDvKRCJh_C9Bqq7_svU_0hLoq4d2THf8xECY11e8TVycFkomDiarXoFIlq_Q0d_Mf75/s1600/2010.2.28.Crowned.Eagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3uapp2_qZ-kiJ66FUAXnTlCp9pdFdoN7NxGAuAj_Yq-73Z_K_sq9xk6NYYm2RG4s57NxaZ-e5sDvKRCJh_C9Bqq7_svU_0hLoq4d2THf8xECY11e8TVycFkomDiarXoFIlq_Q0d_Mf75/s320/2010.2.28.Crowned.Eagle.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kaw!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I didn't spend as much time on the details with this one. I was more interested in capturing his energy and the strong emotions I read in his face. I could just be anthropomorphizing. But I like how urgently he appears to be yelling. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-74472486228031587152010-04-11T18:08:00.000-07:002010-04-11T18:08:52.026-07:00White-tailed Tropicbird<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_xRm53cUNuato-DjRKhdsIL2RNe5DqCYV7leJq4wBCAQMfZ3_gfCgSvO_UAzESrNak2Y7OF9selU9ZTf8UBjNe5ReTX2PbytI78ImCGZbv1f-eRaBKXqlGyI9_5dVZS_szhASeaSZDP0/s1600/2010.2.27.White.Tailed.Tropicbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_xRm53cUNuato-DjRKhdsIL2RNe5DqCYV7leJq4wBCAQMfZ3_gfCgSvO_UAzESrNak2Y7OF9selU9ZTf8UBjNe5ReTX2PbytI78ImCGZbv1f-eRaBKXqlGyI9_5dVZS_szhASeaSZDP0/s320/2010.2.27.White.Tailed.Tropicbird.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like the tails on these birds. They have a few long feathers that extend down the middle of the tail. For a black and white bird, it's quite a nice touch of flair.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I once made the point of mentioning that I am lazy at backgrounds. Here is a perfect example. In the photo, this bird has his butt nestled against a pile of rocks. So it makes sense that both his tail and his shadow climb the rock face. However, I hate drawing rocks. So I just left them out. And both tail and shadow hover in a bizarre white world. Oh well. At least now you know why the shadow does that weird thing. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-64078670500730892502010-04-11T18:04:00.000-07:002010-04-11T18:04:51.448-07:00Blue-crowned Motmot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2IJOaUCWiUf-ukBiqUR6PhEYD_KIVJC-_AbQOOhsG_9vvi78XnWBn_5ntbXNgF3jIqP7f0APsc8BVh7iaYEXPDKTPiJrQzJY5F1ToGA6FPj1Z783cwLMpUX1pnkvSsogB8SkhRypQf7c/s1600/2010.2.26.Blue.Crowned.Motmot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2IJOaUCWiUf-ukBiqUR6PhEYD_KIVJC-_AbQOOhsG_9vvi78XnWBn_5ntbXNgF3jIqP7f0APsc8BVh7iaYEXPDKTPiJrQzJY5F1ToGA6FPj1Z783cwLMpUX1pnkvSsogB8SkhRypQf7c/s320/2010.2.26.Blue.Crowned.Motmot.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This bird has a beautifully colored head. But I should really do a full figure drawing of this one. Check out its neat tail on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-crowned_Motmot">wikipedia</a>. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I recently visited the library and checked out the gigantic book <em>Birds of the World</em> by Lee Beletsky. Most of the huge encyclopedic books with full color pictures are secured in the reference section, so I can't take them home and draw birds from them. Sad. But <em>Birds of the World</em> was amazingly available. It's full of full color illustrations. While I'm not about to draw a copy of another artist's drawing, I am getting lots of great ideas for birds to look up on-line. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">And I have renewed respect for natural science illustrators. Who knew that there were so many different types of albatrosses? And each one has only the tiniest difference. It's amazing the details these artists and scientists can observe and classify. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-80408492382241675312010-04-11T17:50:00.000-07:002010-04-11T17:50:46.414-07:00Eurasian Dotterel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5otqVBs35MdsJJIVMdrznqjIOI2AjzaWgNHAUrD6Vt9-bihSznxS5VpFi6o40W_hMF3W06BbMsSg1SmhR_a7EAXyMwvFWyd84ZzHMpQytPNHX6hyiCb7o5GB2epyUFQIdCGc3f5Q5Rwup/s1600/2010.2.25.Eurasian.Dotterel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5otqVBs35MdsJJIVMdrznqjIOI2AjzaWgNHAUrD6Vt9-bihSznxS5VpFi6o40W_hMF3W06BbMsSg1SmhR_a7EAXyMwvFWyd84ZzHMpQytPNHX6hyiCb7o5GB2epyUFQIdCGc3f5Q5Rwup/s320/2010.2.25.Eurasian.Dotterel.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This doe-eyed little guy is nature's sucker. He has no natural fear of humans. Trusting and even tempered, the dotterel has a reputation for naivete to the point of absolute stupidity. Poor thing.</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-7277259992800186792010-04-11T17:48:00.000-07:002010-04-11T17:48:26.370-07:00Parasitic Jaeger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aeqAe4ZTcNL3h8dW16-zffTBQbvFBCnlua1vaTiDotXpuH-vjEDCFJ_MjfwMCY2kRgfE7kwEFaGwanto0U7pAESN8bOF5yoSvrMZBrQVqeiosb2IHl0qzDPknhAJfW7-fWpM5z9etl77/s1600/2010.2.24.Parasitic.Jaeger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aeqAe4ZTcNL3h8dW16-zffTBQbvFBCnlua1vaTiDotXpuH-vjEDCFJ_MjfwMCY2kRgfE7kwEFaGwanto0U7pAESN8bOF5yoSvrMZBrQVqeiosb2IHl0qzDPknhAJfW7-fWpM5z9etl77/s320/2010.2.24.Parasitic.Jaeger.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The photo for this drawing came from the "Wildlife Fact File." I am tickled by the description of this bird as "a bold pirate that harasses other birds in breathtaking aerial chases." He gets his name because he steals almost all of his food. He forces other birds to drop their prey, which he then catches midair. He doesn't do any of his own hunting. yar.</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-17901563190347908192010-04-08T22:22:00.000-07:002010-04-08T22:22:16.694-07:00Burrowing Owl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimWkObH2p7nlkdm_nJ-OS0asac4oYzwUjlpEWCzl7Qbzx194KMDWulCMDxPfBKRru-2VlFXxRKfr5-mPU-isZ9etdg6P1RA8WNm8HjzPpP80j-4xhugxyzvEp_PoOT6c14y99YwMsNou4/s1600/2010.2.23+Burrowing+Owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimWkObH2p7nlkdm_nJ-OS0asac4oYzwUjlpEWCzl7Qbzx194KMDWulCMDxPfBKRru-2VlFXxRKfr5-mPU-isZ9etdg6P1RA8WNm8HjzPpP80j-4xhugxyzvEp_PoOT6c14y99YwMsNou4/s320/2010.2.23+Burrowing+Owl.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This has to be one of the cutest owls on the planet. They are little and round like fat toads. And they live in the ground, in the abandoned holes of other burrowing creatures. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Seasonally, burrowing owls make their homes in the Bay Area. They are a protected species, so when they come to the Berkeley marina, the groundspeople put up fences to keep visitors from disturbing them. I've never seen one in person, because they are very shy. But I'd like to see them. Aren't they cute?</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-36287870501944857342010-04-08T22:16:00.000-07:002010-04-08T22:16:06.700-07:00Vermilion Flycatcher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NCQCy6nTMLxBj1DUQCYgbmJfVNYxcHH_l_sXNWgITuWmoqz8pFgWGoJamFQ9niqw15r9-ebydu6eFUsU3W3ZLugQFxPUN0hDWmylc1pX4Ta2moU3Xzg_FFdFnNbH3fBrXPkgnaJeb9u-/s1600/2010.2.22+Vermilion+Flycatcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NCQCy6nTMLxBj1DUQCYgbmJfVNYxcHH_l_sXNWgITuWmoqz8pFgWGoJamFQ9niqw15r9-ebydu6eFUsU3W3ZLugQFxPUN0hDWmylc1pX4Ta2moU3Xzg_FFdFnNbH3fBrXPkgnaJeb9u-/s320/2010.2.22+Vermilion+Flycatcher.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shiny little feathers on a bright little bird.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I haven't done many birds in color. But I really like this one. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-86837376763245203322010-04-03T17:31:00.000-07:002010-04-03T17:31:19.527-07:00Great White Egret<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfoqrD0S6CIjA7G_yT4kQ6DaXnw4XPjriZS0S9i39xdzOFDItLFkhviw-2GYb81b5KIm1UOhZHc_wDY_IPKnN6dakMbMO-Kl4IUSo-Y0c2hEz9aGIhZHSQ8XieOA5fzeFOCFQu_RXqhWJE/s1600/2010.2.21+Great+White+Egret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfoqrD0S6CIjA7G_yT4kQ6DaXnw4XPjriZS0S9i39xdzOFDItLFkhviw-2GYb81b5KIm1UOhZHc_wDY_IPKnN6dakMbMO-Kl4IUSo-Y0c2hEz9aGIhZHSQ8XieOA5fzeFOCFQu_RXqhWJE/s320/2010.2.21+Great+White+Egret.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Egrets are one of my favorite birds. Their too-long necks and legs make them simultaneously graceful and awkward. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I mean, look at that neck, coiled like a snake - it's ridiculous. It reminds me of that moment in Alice in Wonderland where Alice eats a bit of mushroom, and, instead of growing all at once (like she did with the bottle), only her neck grows. Long and snakey, she winds up with her head in the trees scaring a family of birds.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">That's two Alice in Wonderland posts in a row. I sense a thread. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-3595817085261250172010-04-03T17:23:00.000-07:002010-04-03T17:25:20.875-07:00Common Eider<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HtiRsFuv-gLfZ-L6UefpbtzUIU7F-BnSSof94APfDqRqUyjb7AR1XxrEMglpDPvhV4tTqA6D8Cervt5YzA8MwnBYtaKJSM8PFuyjRL1VcF1fGFR8vaq1yQOKrgkkQDfXkhUK3H4lrncK/s1600/2010.2.20+Eider+Duck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HtiRsFuv-gLfZ-L6UefpbtzUIU7F-BnSSof94APfDqRqUyjb7AR1XxrEMglpDPvhV4tTqA6D8Cervt5YzA8MwnBYtaKJSM8PFuyjRL1VcF1fGFR8vaq1yQOKrgkkQDfXkhUK3H4lrncK/s320/2010.2.20+Eider+Duck.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I give you the Common Eider duck, from which we get eider down, the softest, most highly-praised feather-bed and pillow-making material in the world. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In my early years, our family had an Apple IIC (with the glowing green screen and 4-inch floppy disks...), on which we played the Alice in Wonderland Adventure Game. I loved that game. It was the only game I played from start to finish multiple times. And in those early years, we played computer games as a family, taking turns operating the controls. The game included this riddle:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">How do you get down off a train? You don't. You get down off a ----.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For the longest time, we got stuck at this stupid riddle. We tried every family friendly four letter word we could think of... until, in frustration, we put in "fuck." Almost instantly, we realized that the correct answer was only one letter off. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You don't get down off a train. You get down off a duck. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-71830915802735545122010-04-03T17:16:00.000-07:002010-04-03T17:16:30.387-07:00Greylag Goose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJg4-nwLLGdLiGUk8PhXftbRVKe5Gv0xqJE9HAbOqmGZpnHGPac5-BdNX7S_tLfS_H_ZoWUNxZASCDlYSLgLr1miguEF0w3tRcMVyq5E53x1vW93UT5hBArXe1RP7qZtvRaX_y3_GVJTpP/s1600/2010.2.19+Greylag+Goose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJg4-nwLLGdLiGUk8PhXftbRVKe5Gv0xqJE9HAbOqmGZpnHGPac5-BdNX7S_tLfS_H_ZoWUNxZASCDlYSLgLr1miguEF0w3tRcMVyq5E53x1vW93UT5hBArXe1RP7qZtvRaX_y3_GVJTpP/s320/2010.2.19+Greylag+Goose.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The weekend of February 19th, Rick and I drove down to LA to visit his Grandma Polly. She was very weak from a series of infections, and we wanted to give her our love. Luckily, by the time we got there, she was feeling well enough to be her fiesty old self again. So we were relieved.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I drew this bird at Mom and Mark's house. Mom (Laura) tried her hand with my marker set, too. She drew a carrion crow that I wish I had scanned before she threw it away. That lady has natural talent, and I'd love to see more out of her. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Grandma Polly, like my Grandma Claire, is a landscape painter. Talented parentage all around. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-62079113252749511662010-04-01T19:19:00.000-07:002012-07-24T09:02:34.875-07:00Drawing Exchange<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK, so I have a story to tell. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When I was in 6th grade, I had a really really good friend named Rebecca. We bonded over a love of all things crafty and girly - especially a share obsession with unicorns. For Christmas, we decided to exchange gifts. And to make it extra special, we would make each other gifts. We were both crafty, right? Clearly, these gifts would be awesome. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I poured my little heart into this gift. I made her a ten inch tall stuffed unicorn with a spiraled horn. The hair was silky rainbow yarn (remembering not only the mane and tail, but oh yes, those little tufts behind each hoof). I embroidered on eyes and nostrils and horsey smile. I even made fully articulated joints for the top of each leg, to recreate full galloping action.... And in exchange? She gave me a legless ball of colored cloth with a sharpie drawn-on face, unfinished arms, and a dress made of the exact same flowered print as the doll's face. I was so sad to give up my unicorn to her, but way too nice to complain.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Cut to February, 2010. I am talking to a co-worker about my bird-a-day project, when another co-worker guy interrupts to demand I give him one of my drawings. Um... why exactly do you deserve a drawing - for free? </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I put my foot down. I am absolutely NOT giving him a bird from my bird-a-day project. I have lofty dreams of getting them shown together in a gallery or made into a book or... you know, SOLD to people, for actual money. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This guy pleads with me. He wants to do an exchange, "C'mon a quick drawing, drawing for a drawing, a one-minute bird." First of all, my birds usually take anywhere from 20 minutes to ONE HOUR, so no, you're not getting any of those. But I hate whining, and I am too god-damned nice to say "You don't deserve one" to his face. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Plus, there's something you need to know about this guy: he is so infectuously upbeat, so brimming with positive energy that it is impossible for me to say "no" to him without feeling like a complete asshole. I know, this is my problem, not his... But I cave anyways, and feel the first traces of bitterness seep in: I will draw a three minute bird, in exchange for one of his drawings... </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Here are the results. My three minute Great Indian Hornbill...</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnN4_GYehpXhs2OeeyApwyQX6e7Tk6EYZ746SD45YCfkJUcGGtzvDS50RL0B8DA2Q5s8JppSegChf1GCEauvAvaqSzT8hqEzimq2he5iohVNxEvpi2ACAfxuVfQPK06s7pzn0aiX-yApdP/s320/2010.2.18+3+minute+Great+Indian+Hornbill.jpg" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For his drawing:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikhJsAoe5mlWGk4d0B2QVhaXwLE-DAD-KVXqosZOUWcUzktL-uv0DGMWOD1bTUh4UAh_5QVN4iz38vDpMiISVwUzmbEKBgwhC2eppAgiS-FUuhMMFFzEwqXzQNQNkzcx8RLl_Q07IChZz/s1600/2010_2_18_drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikhJsAoe5mlWGk4d0B2QVhaXwLE-DAD-KVXqosZOUWcUzktL-uv0DGMWOD1bTUh4UAh_5QVN4iz38vDpMiISVwUzmbEKBgwhC2eppAgiS-FUuhMMFFzEwqXzQNQNkzcx8RLl_Q07IChZz/s1600/2010_2_18_drawing.jpg" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ok, I know that I am to blame for my own bitterness here. I should have said "no" up front. I should have made it clear that my birds were too precious to me. And yet, I feel pretty justified in feeling cheated in this exchange.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, that is an envelope: torn, stapled, taped back together and then scribbled on with pen and marker. The final clincher? When I came to do the exchange, he said, "Oh, I uh, just have to get it out of my bag... I'll come get you at your desk." I am guessing after all that earnest cajoling he completely forgot.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Um, thanks?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">FOOTNOTE:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For Christmas, this same guy gave me a hand-drawn card with Santa stuck in a chimney. It was cute, and funny, and obviously took time and forethought. And I love it. I treasure it. It's going to make me a mint when he becomes a famous artist (or children's book illustrator) one day. Why couldn't the drawing exchange item be of the same caliber? And why was I too chicken shit to mention it to him? sigh.</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-37574104682390709392010-03-29T20:58:00.000-07:002010-03-29T20:58:28.861-07:00Black Woodpecker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSxWJ0onDC8KEBSBDLx6sRzdTt_K-TZ7_A9kKvKfrMwjxT6NFZcTIlGZa9mVOakTofTSfoDt1PQ3uneI8s1i1EuvX0ARlWebJeEsUSpGPbUX917lvbEvg5OIoF6ghXL1QiGB8gaOWTP-F/s1600/2010.2.18+Black+Woodpecker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSxWJ0onDC8KEBSBDLx6sRzdTt_K-TZ7_A9kKvKfrMwjxT6NFZcTIlGZa9mVOakTofTSfoDt1PQ3uneI8s1i1EuvX0ARlWebJeEsUSpGPbUX917lvbEvg5OIoF6ghXL1QiGB8gaOWTP-F/s320/2010.2.18+Black+Woodpecker.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Black woodpecker on a pink tree. hrm.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I must confess, I suck at backgrounds. It's not that I can't do them. I just don't. I lose interest. I don't care. It can't hold my attention once the star is in place. Using old drawings as a base for this project solves that problem for the most part. But when you're drawing a bird on a tree, it is really hard to get around that whole "tree" thing. I just gave up and let it be pink. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">oh well. He's a bird in a land made of candy. mmmm.... candy....</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-75422868486357970302010-03-29T20:54:00.000-07:002010-03-29T20:54:45.061-07:00Black-necked Aracari<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMPGVDT-Ha_CXHMMm6jtfAiyqDGN94vkiDdK2p9YDCUpy_gStDQrvbDeeicByXhCKl9FxjHxZxv7-O78ckm5o4on4zTehbCsbLzCwYUcUHFGJjl53KRj9_hIsTjxQ0mfq7HUA81YqUJOF/s1600/2010.2.17+Black+necked+aracari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMPGVDT-Ha_CXHMMm6jtfAiyqDGN94vkiDdK2p9YDCUpy_gStDQrvbDeeicByXhCKl9FxjHxZxv7-O78ckm5o4on4zTehbCsbLzCwYUcUHFGJjl53KRj9_hIsTjxQ0mfq7HUA81YqUJOF/s320/2010.2.17+Black+necked+aracari.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a type of toucan with a black and white beak. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I didn't want to draw the side view of the toco toucan because that bird is so well known - I mean, the toco is the Fruit Loops bird. It is a bizarre looking bird, and it would be hard to draw without reverting to just drawing a cartoon (and singing the stupid jingle. Yes, TV has me that well trained. Argh). That's why I chose this toucan relative instead. I have no preconceived notions about Aracaris. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">And I like the inquisitive look on this guy's face.</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-5418724691640412542010-03-29T20:51:00.000-07:002010-03-29T20:51:24.281-07:00Raggiana Bird of Paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdhFumblmtru0jjR-d21vXEVIS1WY4rU6G_FHyUhFv5BMXS3SJwkx_QGsOZ1F2cebNrd04DNXoACsUOhLONESYMaJp6a9tymCVdLxqUfHHDsVf0DCM7k8TAa6GYQf0g49V0Dwp3CYZcOC/s1600/2010.2.16+Raggiana+Bird+of+Paradise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdhFumblmtru0jjR-d21vXEVIS1WY4rU6G_FHyUhFv5BMXS3SJwkx_QGsOZ1F2cebNrd04DNXoACsUOhLONESYMaJp6a9tymCVdLxqUfHHDsVf0DCM7k8TAa6GYQf0g49V0Dwp3CYZcOC/s320/2010.2.16+Raggiana+Bird+of+Paradise.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are 43 different types of birds in the "Bird of Paradise" family. They are all crazy colorful and most have funny decorative feathers. I am so coming back to these birds later in the year. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Also, I really like the white highlights on this one. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-58200444213628815592010-03-29T20:47:00.000-07:002010-03-29T20:47:59.480-07:00Bullfinch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkXnILP-uEPaR3RNWu30LUAMMhY6orsoD3NTKnPyXc8clY66rXfLmzGnxeTYCSJ0h6wo0bZjxXjRTs0BsAVb60XvaFJq8r0W8E704r2zmzs3MdMf0_gc-jeMGq8JOoVjqBbp1UmHX7gtL/s1600/2010.2.15+Bullfinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkXnILP-uEPaR3RNWu30LUAMMhY6orsoD3NTKnPyXc8clY66rXfLmzGnxeTYCSJ0h6wo0bZjxXjRTs0BsAVb60XvaFJq8r0W8E704r2zmzs3MdMf0_gc-jeMGq8JOoVjqBbp1UmHX7gtL/s320/2010.2.15+Bullfinch.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of the birds I have done so far, this one is the most like a classic naturalist illustration or bird guide. In some ways that's good, and in some ways that's bad. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I think it comes down to that distinction between pure art and purposeful art. Scientific art is purposeful. It becomes illustrative because it's trying to teach someone something. Therefore, it loses the honor of being "art for art's sake." In many circles, purposeful art is a thing to be disdained. I disagree. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I make these birds so that I can learn about them. I'm not trying to be the next Audobon. I'm just selfishly learning everything I can about bird structure. So that's my excuse. </span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4934861559859217258.post-67430099911681759102010-03-29T20:41:00.000-07:002010-03-29T20:41:41.696-07:00Double-wattled Cassowary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizH_i5SJ4mIXJW5Ff3dD9Bjznhyphenhyphenq_CRCmD9qQ_mc7pYFuWbQYZaXPL3yLc2fuuxvtdQxt5MrrvjpsNUYPEgeCv5TIUMkDsmWdbrRTvWezr-febCie5aKFTHSXfJvO61bKpJrFKrfoncflO/s1600/2010.2.14+Double+wattled+Cassowary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizH_i5SJ4mIXJW5Ff3dD9Bjznhyphenhyphenq_CRCmD9qQ_mc7pYFuWbQYZaXPL3yLc2fuuxvtdQxt5MrrvjpsNUYPEgeCv5TIUMkDsmWdbrRTvWezr-febCie5aKFTHSXfJvO61bKpJrFKrfoncflO/s320/2010.2.14+Double+wattled+Cassowary.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pretty much anything with a wattle is going to be fun to draw, and this guy did not disappoint. He has bumps on the side of his head, wrinkly blue skin, a lumpy red throat, and a big ol' casque on his crown. So many fun lines to draw. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I worry sometimes that the scale of these drawings is forcing me to edit or condense detail to fit within a 5x6 in box. But I can't imagine putting up 365 pages of letter-sized paper on my walls - I'd run out of room in one month.</span>MissClaireMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16342221386478690879noreply@blogger.com0