Living bovines (from the family Bovidae, subfamily Bovinae) come in many shapes and sizes. Some of them could be mistaken for antelopes, which occupy a seperate subfamily (Antilopinae) within Bovidae. From musk ox to ibex and barbery sheep, members of the subfamily Caprinae, on the other hand, are unmistakable and just a bit more difficult … Continue reading More bovines, plus some wonderfully weird goats
Tag: coloured pencil
Doodling matters
I have a small confession: I am self-conscious about doodling, but I really want to do it. I can approach many illustrations or paintings with a degree of confidence, but the thought of making a page of doodles makes me balk. Not because I am prejudice against doodling, but because I was convinced I couldn’t … Continue reading Doodling matters
Soup and sketchbooks
It’s a cool and rainy Easter weekend here in south-east Queensland. Perfect days for soup, sketchbooks, reading and getting cosy with canines. Each day I try to add a little more to one of my many sketchbooks. Most of them are themed; they all have purpose, and much of the time my mood dictates which … Continue reading Soup and sketchbooks
Sketch to understand: Ferns and more ferns
I'm only on the second two page spread, but already I'm thinking this might be a multi-volume project. There is so much to learn. Sketching ferns is time-consuming, even for the less complex leaves, but very enjoyable and quickly becoming a favourite side project. From the genus Danaea, Marattiaceae family
Sketch to understand
I’m a huge fan of ferns and sketchbooks in equal measure, but I am often hesitant to draw or paint ferns as they can be quite delicate and complex, not to mention diverse. I recently started a new pen and ink drawing involving ferns, but was finding my lack of confidence was a barrier to … Continue reading Sketch to understand
Aotearoa: sketchbook page
Once again, one page doesn't do justice to the history and past of the Māori people This is going to sound more like a plug for New Zealand than an introduction to New Zealand archaeology, but here goes anyway . . . Between the ages of four to almost sixteen years old I lived in … Continue reading Aotearoa: sketchbook page
Two Baobabs and a Boab
Tree portraits - three species of Adonsonia Three species of Adonsonia. In most parts of the world the common name for these bottle-like trees is Baobab - the first two sketches are the African Baobab (A. digitata) and the Giant Baobab or Grandidier's Baobab (A. grandidieri) respectively. In Australia they are mostly known as Boab's … Continue reading Two Baobabs and a Boab
Do what you love; love what you do
I'm loving working in this sketchbook. Of course, the subjects are engaging, personally significant and keep me interested and motivated, but I also like the no fuss approach of limiting colours and not worrying about "ruining" an expensive sketchbook (this is an economical brand from my local office supply store). Most pages have sepia ink … Continue reading Do what you love; love what you do
Art prompt: Back to beginnings
Coloured pencil and ink go well together, especially in sepia. I decided to test them out in a sketchbook by sketching some artefacts - things that got me started in archaeology and human prehistory that still inspire me. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Catalhoyuk was a game changer for me when I first read … Continue reading Art prompt: Back to beginnings