30 Sketches Projects I-VII

Well this is it...day 30. I did it! 30 sketches in 30 days and it was a wonderful experience. I already miss it but this Dodo sketch is the start to a new endeavor, The Nest Egg Art Project: Helping to Avert Extinction Through Art. I am polishing my idea, collecting resources and contacts to get this project moving. Here is the rough proposal that I posted on an earlier entry: I would like to produce a body of work using the imagery of extinct and endangered birds as well as birds that have been removed from the endangered species list as my subject matter. This collection of paintings will be priced to sell in a solo art exhibition and a portion of the proceeds will go to an avian conservation organization. This project serves two purposes: it fulfills my love of painting birds and secondly, it brings forth the importance of avian conservation efforts to the public. Books and photos are my main resource for depicting my subject accurately but I do believe that witnessing the characte

I love the idea of putting objects in environments where they would not naturally belong. It (hopefully) makes the viewer question the relationship between subject and setting. This is a 11.5"x16" mixed media sketch of an adult Little Auk or Dovekie on a sample sheet of wallpaper. This small bird is abundant in the arctic and would never be found nesting in an autumnesque environment such as this one. My favorite thing about this bird is it's relationship to the Great Auk which has been extinct since 1844. The last breeding pair was killed on the island of Eldey, off Iceland.

Day 28! I am sad to see this project come to an end but glad to start a new one. In the past, I would only draw a quick sketch in order to achieve a half- assed composition setup for a painting. I have really come to enjoy drawing through this project. This is a Melba Finch.

This baby chick is the partner in crime to the old-timer posted below. It too is for the Mini Mini show. My attempt yesterday to make a 4"x4" baby bird portrait was highly successful if my intention was to make it look identical to an alien-lizard-dinosaur baby. It is too terrifying to post. I feel better with today's attempt even though this little guy's shoulders resemble a shirtless human form. Okay, I couldn't let it go. Trying to de -bulk him only lead to a more " roided -up" physique. What are they feeding little birds these days? I am not cut out for small artmaking . Even this dude wants to bust out of the 4"x4" size restraint.

This old-timer is a mixed media piece. It is for Mini Mini: A 4x4 Mini Art Show coming up next month. Each entry has to be, you guessed it, 4"x4" in size. I don't think I have ever worked on something so small. I believe the mustache to be life-sized.

Inspiration can hit at any moment - so watch out! The seed for this Yellow-billed Kingfisher with Acorn sketch was planted at SMoCA's opening reception for Seriously Funny- thanks Kjel!

I am making myself sick with all of the baby bird sketches. For some reason I just can't help myself. I think one allure is that most baby birds are unidentifiable. Most seem to be wide-eyed, covered in a downy awkward coat of feathers, helpless and hungry. All of this is odd because I find the bird world so dang fascinating because each bird is so unique. I love contradictions.

Who says that turkey is just for Thanksgiving? I say enjoy turkey everyday of the year. I am not sure what it is, but drawing/painting meat always makes me happy.

This flock works together. Munia may not be very large birds but they are a forced to be reckoned with as a team. Stacked 3 deep, they can take on any hawk or simply look over into the neighbor's nest.

You win some...you loose some. In nature this poor Grey Cardinal's feet would be less "special" than my depiction. I think he may need orthopedic shoes.

I felt it necessary to do an illustration of the main characters in my pretend children's book entitled, Sheriff Farthright and Bangles: Lost in Los Angeles. Until this day, I never knew I even had a pretend children's book. It is not available in stores near you. Sheriff Farthright is a Yellow-rumped Seed-eater and his faithful steed, Bangles, is a Parrot-finch. Note Farthright's mighty stache. His badge shines as brightly as his character. Bangles is only seconds away from taking to the sky. I can actually hear Audubon rolling over in his grave due to the flagrant misuse of bird depictions.

Last night I had a dream about birds. I was standing in my grandmother's driveway. It was evening and the sky was filled with stars. I saw what I thought to be a large number of falling stars but as I focused closer I realized that it was a large flock of geese. It was beautiful. My grandmother came out of the front door and I told her of the project I would like to begin. "That is a wonderful idea", she said. It made me feel great. I thought that this Spur-winged Goose would be appropriate. Here is my project proposal: I would like to produce a body of work using the imagery of extinct and endangered birds as well as birds that have been removed from the endangered species list as my subject matter. This collection of paintings will be priced to sell in a solo art exhibition and a portion of the proceeds will go to an avian conservation organization. This project serves two purposes: it fulfills my love of painting birds and secondly, it brings forth the importance of a

This sketch is from the greatest photo of a pair of Golden-breasted Avadavats . They are very small birds from Africa. I am really enjoying this 30 day sketch project. It is what I look forward to each and every day. I am already polishing my idea for the next project. My hope for the duration of this project is to not only work on my technical drawing skills but focus on composition and the environment for my subjects as well. What kept surfacing during this drawing exercise is my want to convey the "idea" of the birds in the photo instead of seeing them as specific objects. Viewing them as connected shapes and marks is my way of accomplishing this.

I am fascinated with bird's feet. They are terrifying and archaic. These are the feet, although smaller versions, that dinosaurs used to rip a caveman to shreds. Even the cutest baby bird has wicked-looking feet, check them out.

Well, this is Rowdy. The baby creature that inspired it all. I just met him myself. If you want to hear his full story visit Rowdy Studios Blog .

Today I bought the greatest used book - Cage Birds in Color and it is an early 80's beauty. That is where the image for this sketch of a Pagodah Mynah came from. I never really understood having a bird as a pet. This book has uncovered a new world that I never knew existed. Glad I am broke or I would be cleaning bird poop out of a cage right now. Thanks crumbling economy!

I started this sketch in the library at work on my lunch break and I think I could have stayed there forever. This was my long work day so by the time I got home, I only had so much to left to give. I used pencil, charcoal, pastel, and my little known secret.....watercolor pencils.

I pretend that this Long-billed Thrasher is sliding down the tree branch at lightening speed - feathers blowing in the wind! Look at the determined look in his eyes. He is a real go-getter.

Trogons are stunning tropical birds with bright parrotlike colors. This is an Elegant Trogon. This little guy is peeking out of his tree house.