2026 Animal Kingdom Sketches

My current Sketchbook is an interesting one.  It's an OOLY I bought at an independant book store over the holidays and it's interesting. The pages are very thin, but they have a nice tooth. And I brought it to Disney World with me:

I got to see the baby elephant play in the water!

Trish and that One Viral Sketchbook

A good piece of advice I have learned in my forty..... something* years is this: Just because something is popular does not mean it is good.

Behold, because curiosity got the better of me, that Viral Sketchbook from TikTok:

 

Hoo boy. Where to start.

Well, the cover's pretty sturdy.  It has a nice soft fake-suede feel to it.  The binding is *pretty* good, and it is indeed a lot of pages for the price.  

Except those pages are practically tissue paper.  

I'm serious, they are unreasonably thin and wimpy.  Wimpy in that this paper couldn't make a cut in an overripe tomato.  Thin in that I dot an I while writing in the poor thing and can see the imprint three pages later.  I use my trusty ballpoint pen, but the most appropriate media for this book is None.  A cheap Crayola marker left uncapped in a junk draw for thirty years and in it's dying breath of ink could bleed through the pages.  Fresh markers are obviously a no-go and you can forget about watercolors.  Pencils are fine if they are very soft, and not sharp. 

So in other words, maybe this is a good Sketchbook for somebody out there but not me; none of my preferred drawing techniques work here.  Unfortunately, OCD is a hell of a thing and so I have a sickness that makes me never abandon a Sketchbook in progress.  I'm sticking with the Viral Sketchbook even though it's a struggle.  Note that while scanning this Sketchbook (also a real pain because of how big it is), I have a sheet of white card paper between the pages because otherwise you'd see drawings from the next three pages.  Argh.

Well, anyway, here's "Nature: The Burren, Ireland's Kingdom of Stone", or my sketches of same:

Next time - more sketches from "Nature" episodes, probably!

* - Well, it's like this. I turned 42, which should've been a huge deal, the very week the United States started taking Covid-19 semi-seriously and went into lockdown.  So... yeah.  It's not just me, turns out other Mid-March birthday-havers who remember that experience seem to all be sharing a weird feeling of "what is time, even".  Also I am astoundingly bad at math.  So I don't really know how old I am.  Wait a moment...  Oh, hey, I'm not fifty yet!  Cool!

Sketches from "Nature": "A Fistfull of Talons"

 While I'm aching for a rerun of "Raptor Force" some day, this was an outstanding episode.  Secretary Birds!  Seriemas!

 

Hummingbirds!

Before they migrate to more favorable and flowery climes, I'll share my sketches of these wonderful Dinosaur Fairies:





This next drawing is based on a series of photos by Dan Ripplinger. Now, I *knew* this about Hummingbirds, but damn if it isn't jarring to see it. O_o

Young Loons and Hawks

We had a lot of young Common Loons born this year on the Lake.  I was lucky to be able to observe and sketch them going about their business:







Here are studies of an adult Loon as well as a stressed out Chipping Sparrow mom:



And finally, a real treat. We had young Broad-Winged Hawks fledging right in our backyard! We came to call them the "Hawkward Teens", and it was a wonderful thing to get to watch them grow up.

2018 Animal Kingdom Sketches

I went to Animal Kingdom for the first time since they opened Pandora: The World of Avatar Pandora Landora!  But before we talk about that, we need to dive deep into the early days of this blog and talk Moleskines and Moleskine alternatives.



The unthinkable happened; I was about to go on a trip and did not have a new Sketchbook handy to start once my current one ran out of pages.  (I draw through and entire Sketchbook and start a new one immediately.  I have heard this is unusual of me but my broken OCD brain and I just can't believe it.)  Fortunately, I was able to order the two lovelies pictured above right away from Amazon.

The one on top is the one I am currently using and that went to Florida with me, the ZenArt Supplies B6 Sketchbook.  And it's very nice for sketching, doodling, and writing with a pencil or ballpoint pen.  But the pages are almost ridiculously thin; I have to scan with a sheet of card stock in between the pages or you'd have a nice preview of the art on the next page.  Art markers bleed right through and the pages roll over and give up at the very sight of even a dry-ish watercolor brush.  It fits right in my purse, though, and so this little Sketchbook joined me on every ride, show, exhibit, and other adventure in Disney World.  (For what it's worth, yes the paper is blacklight sensitive.)

And the ZenArt went to Animal Kingdom with me.  I have to say the ZenArt is very nice for drawing quickly on the spot.  I suppose though, so would a Sketchbook with nicer paper of the same size.  Oh well, here are the studies of the animals there:

In Which I Meet (And Draw) Some Friendly Sheep

Went to a local farm not too long ago and met these gentle floofy friends:

Turkey Time!

Sometimes you're just stumped for things to draw.  And then sometimes a flock of wild turkeys walks through your yard.  This handsome boy stuck around for a bit, displaying to his ladies, long enough for me to paint his portrait.

Cotton Tales

We had Easter dinner at my aunt and uncle's house.  It was a beautiful day and wouldn't you know, some bunnies came to join the party.  Yet another lesson in not going anywhere without a Sketchbook.





Oh hey, what's this?

Sketching From "Nature" - "Ireland's Wild River"

It feels like it's been forever since I sat down, watched an episode of "Nature", and drew along with it.  So on St. Patrick's Day, I watched "Ireland's Wild River", a tour down the River Shannon, and drew these sketches.  Click on them to see the big versions at Flickr.







I drew them all in green pencil!  Because St. Patrick's Day!  And Ireland! 

WDW Trip Report: Animal Kingdom Sketches

Oh yes, it is time!   Time to share what me and my little Moleskine Watercolor Sketchbook got up to while in Disney's Animal Kingdom:



Wild Anhinga spotted on the river, a duck (Pochard?), and a really cool plant.



More abstract studies of another Anhinga.



On the subject of birds, there is a new presentation at Dinoland USA that features live birds, is essentially a sequel to my beloved Flights of Wonder, and matter-of-factly presents birds as a kind of dinosaur.  This... okay, Dinoland still makes me drink heavily, but this is a very nice change for the better.  More like this, please.





Flights of Wonder is still awesome and I finally got to sit in the "I'm glad I am wearing a hat" seats.  Only thing is, I thought I'd heard that the show had finally received a rewrite, but it seems essentially the same.  I tell you, the Dr. Guano story is getting as taxing as Little Red back in the day.



The Komodo Dragon was surprisingly spry, and the Lion Macaques are a new addition.



A graceful Tree Monitor, a handsome Jungle Fowl, and a Mystery Bovine!  (All Ears identifies it as a Banteng, while the Cast Member I asked called it a Water Buffalo.  Either way, nice model.)



An Argus Pheasant and Crowned Pigeon...



...and some studies from my Safari photos.



Bonus: A Limpkin I met at the Boardwalk docks...



And a surprisingly graceful Manatee at the Living Seas.