Two Year's Worth of Dog Show Studies?!

 Don't think I wasn't doing my semi-silly/semi-serious tradition of doing long sketches while watching the National Dog Show on Thanksgiving.  

Sketches from "Nature: Niagra Falls"

We're back in the Viral Sketchbook; darn thing is so big, I feel like have an entire Sketchbook left to fill while being more than halfway through this one.  But I got into something of a groove this time (the trick is a really soft, dull pencil it turns out) and I hope to keep it up.  

"Niagra Falls" was a surprisingly good episode; I like the ones that focus on a whole ecosystem and a wide variety of animals.  This one also had interviews with local scientists, including Paleoartist Jenna McGuire, and that was incredibly cool.

(Hey, WNET, are you planning an episode on The Maine Lakes and Mountains Region?  Because if you want help from a local artist... 😅) 

Denik and Olympic Figure Drawings

Denik is a company I'd never heard of Until I happened upon this Sketchbook in good old Reny's (if you know, you know.  If you don't, enjoy.) 

 

It's sturdy and full of good, thick pages; thick enough to be a "both sider" in fact (you can draw on both sides of each page).  Perfect for my favorite method of quick-sketching with a ballpoint pen.  And they support an excellent cause, funding art education programs around the world.

These gesture drawings are from about a year ago, as I was watching the Summer Olympics.  Mostly Breakdancing (to reiterate what my self-caricature says, I could do 1/5th of a Windmill and ruin my entire day year life.), some shotput, and a cameo from my cousin's cute dog.    

 

 

Next week: I bought that one TikTok Viral Sketchbook and I have Capital-O Opinions... 😓

Goat Yoga and a Sketchbook Roundup!

 I not only have sketches from a Goat Yoga experience we had at a local dairy farm, I also have a Sketchbook Review!  First, a roundup of recent Sketchbooks:

The one I'd like to talk about today is the Talens Art Creation Sketchbook.  

It's rather nice.  Very good for drawing on the go and the pages have a nice quality, as you can see:

So what did I think of Goat Yoga?  If it's your thing, cool, but I don't see myself doing it again.  I had more fun sketching and petting than exercising.

Next week - a very unusual Sketchbook with very unusual needs... 

Ye Olde Traditional National Dog Show Sketches!

 So.  It's been a while.  I'm going to ignore that and just try to jump right back in.  I can't think of a better way to do this than with the good old National Dog Show. 

2022 Animal Kingdom Sketches!

We went to Disney World earlier this month!  It was wild!  I may do a brief trip report next post but for now, we had a lot of fun.  And as is tradition, my drawings of the residents of Disney's Animal Kingdom:

I got to watch the Great Argus Pheasant "Peacocking" in real life right in front of me and I'm not even kidding, this was one of the coolest things I got to experience on the whole trip!  Right up there with Rise of the Resistance!

The Painted Wolves/African Wild Dogs/Cape Hunting Dogs/Lycaon pictus are, I think, a new addition to the Safari.  And they're very cool.  (And boy I wish I was not sitting adjacent to a very loud fool insisting "No, those are Hyenas like in 'Lion King'!" 😞 )

"Feathered Friends in Flight" is the latest and maybe the best iteration of "Flights of Wonder"/"Up!  The Big Bird Adventure"/"Whatever, IDK What You Call It Or What The Framing Story Is, I Am Just Here For The Birds".  Simply because - get this - there is NO framing story, just a lot of cool birds doing cool things!  What a concept!  I got to see a Harpy Eagle in real life!  That's right up there with the Skyliner!

2021 National Dog Show Sketches!

 As is of course tradition!

National Dog Show Sketches!

 As is, of course, tradition.

I'm really proud of the expressions on these good dogs this time. Look at that Mini-Pinscher!

Drawings of Cute Animals

At the time of writing, it's October 27.  My entire enteric nervous system feels like a clenched fist.  Not knowing what else to do, I am going to share some of my recent drawings of animals:

Yeah.

For I will consider my (sister's) cat...

So... how about something light and fluffy?  Literally?

My sister's lovely Bobtail cat Stitch visited for a while.  Before I knew it, I'd filled half an Illo Sketchbook with drawings of the little guy.