30 Sketches Projects I-VII

Dude, we are so chimps. Day Twenty-One:  Chimp

 Day Twenty:  Black-tailed Jackrabbit I don't know about you, but seeing these dudes within the same frame is pretty exciting for the ole imagination.  The manatee is obviously a loner, the hippo may battle some depression issues, the jackrabbit is pretty solid-he just goes about his biz, the squirrel is a wild man, the little deer is very inquisitive, and well the hog…I haven't figured him out yet.

I could say that I cropped this drawing so you'd focus on the face but that would be a lie.   The truth is that his legs were wicked jacked up.  So I cut em off. Day Nineteen:  Bush Duiker

Hipposaurus Rex in tha house. Day Eighteen:  Hippo

 Day Seventeen:  Manatee Land, air, and sea...you just can't shake us mammals.  

The Red River Hog is a good lookin' wild pig.   I guess they'd be considered the gingers of the even-toed ungulates. Day Sixteen:  Red River Hog

You cannot, I repeat cannot , tell me that this dude isn't having fun.  I imagine him as your average guy flying squirrel.  This image is of him trying to beat one of his buddies' gliding records.  His flying squirrel wife is pissed because he is supposed to be out collecting nuts, or whatever flying squirrel husbands gather, but instead he is working on his distance.  YAAAHHHOOOOooo ooooo oooooo ....... Day Fifteen:  Flying Squirrel I forgot to mention - I'M HALF-WAY DONE WITH THE PROJECT! The first ten drawing/collages are finished and the below four need to be glued to their 8"x10" sheets of wallpaper.

For some reason or other, I am not a big cat fan but ocelots are changing that.  I think one strong character trait this guy possesses is manipulation.  His wheels are turning...you can just tell.  He'll dazzle you with his badass looks and the next thing you know he's eating your heart out of your throat.  Or stealing your wallet.  I've seen it a thousand times. Day Fourteen:  Ocelot

Lucky Day #13...the capybara!   This little guy looks mega pissed about being so cute.   "I wish I were a dragon", he says. Day Thirteen:  Capybara

Day Twelve:  Fennec Fox

 Day Eleven:  Polar Bear It is amazing how a story begins to form when placing these little dudes together.   Adherence to scale - no thank you.

One-third of the project down, two-thirds to gzzzzzzzzz......... Day Ten:  Springhare

I've cut, collaged, and glued (are all of these words redundant?) the first eight days of the project into finished pieces ready to be framed.  Twenty-two days to go - make that twenty-one cuz the long-eared hedgehog below is Day Nine my friends. Day Nine:  Long-eared Hedgehog

Ibex.  In.  Tha.  House. Day Eight:  Ibex

I am currently working on a series of 5ft.x5ft. paintings that have me thinking a lot about the telling of children's stories and those thoughts have carried over into this project.  I came up with a snappier title than simply 30 Sketches Project VI for this collection and that is  Outside of Their Story.   Here are words that go with the title... What if an animal was plucked out of their animal life as they were just going about their animal business and then placed within a very unnatural animal environment?  What if that new environment was contained and in front of a human audience? That animal's life has suddenly changed and their purpose has now taken center stage instead of simply being lived.  It is no longer part of a whole, no longer part of a herd, colony, or clan but is now an individual.  As the viewer, we instantly begin to place our human emotions and unique experiences on this "character" to form our own stories.   Outside of Their Story i

This little guy is not the poster squirrel for posture.  He has a bit of a hunchback but don't let it fool you, he can still get around just fine. Day Six:  Eastern Gray Sqirrel

All I have to say is, Red Panda.  Check.  The dude's stance is a little cattywampus, like he's walking on hot coals or something but maybe that is exactly what he is doing because he's on some hippie, new age retreat and after the sweat lodge and chakra alignment it's coal walkin' time. Day Five:  Red Panda

(Side note:  Please excuse the jank one photography.  By the time I finish these sketches it is well past my bedtime and I am just proud if I don't forget to remove the lens cap.) (Double side note:  I totally cut out the last three day's sketches and put them on strips of wallpaper samples and fancy-pants paper.)  Day Four:  Common Seal

Day Three:  Mongolian Jird  I began my Day Three drawing of this little cotton ball of a rodent on my lunch break.  Apparently it took quite a beating during the commute from work to home but it made it.  A nice little border trim will have it right as rain.

Day Two equals European Hare.  The marks in Day One are pretty tight, Day Two's are loosey-goosey...it'll take a few days to get into a rhythm and establish some consistency. Day Two:  European Hare

Day One of the first 30 Sketches Project was on January 21, 2009 (almost 5 years ago to the week-whoa!).  Since that date the project has motivated and/or guilted me into making 150 sketches in honor of adhering to a goal, respecting discipline, and improving technically.   Well Project VI has officially left the starting line.  The common link between the sketches in this particular project is the source I'm pulling the reference images from - Smithsonian Handbooks:  Mammals.  In a nutshell this guide is badass as are all Smithsonian Handbooks. In addition to the above mentioned reasons for doing a 30 Sketches Project, Project VI is going to be used to build up inventory to help fund an artist residency I have this April at Weir Farm Art Center in Wilton, CT.  So let the games begin! Day One:  Water Buffalo