Creature Feature: Illustrating the Giraffe

The other day I was thinking about all the animals I have drawn during the course of my illustration career. Over the years I have drawn animals from all different types of environments such as elephants, frigate birds, peacocks, lizards, monkeys, cardinals, zebras, and lots more. Many of the illustrations were painted in watercolor and gouache or pen and ink line art for various children’s publications, activity pages, games, and greeting cards.

I would have to say that one of my favorite animals to draw is a giraffe. Of course, everyone knows they have that very long neck, but I also like them because they are so tall and I think those long eyelashes give their faces so much character.

Here’s a couple of my giraffe illustrations I’ve done over the years. And, in a few weeks, you will see my next paper sculpture. Yep, you guessed it — a giraffe!

Artwork Feature: A Set of Colorful Peonies for the Summer

These 3D paper sculpture peonies were fun to create. The white peony has a beautiful center of different shades of brilliant yellow with a tinge of orange on the tips. The dark colored peony is a combination of purples, alizarin crimson and magentas, which are some of my favorite colors. I framed both in small, black shadowbox frames with a white mat. I think they would be nice hung together on a wall — perhaps filling up that empty little nook.

What flower would you like to see next? Share with us in the comments below!

Artwork Feature: Bald Eagles 'Keeping Watch'

I was inspired to create this 3D paper sculpture of an eagle after my visit to Conowingo Dam in Darlington, Maryland, last November. In the fall, it is one of the best places to watch bald eagles as they glide through the air and then swoop down to catch a fish from the Susquehanna River below. Without hesitation, the eagle grabs its dinner before soaring back up into the sky, eventually resting in the trees, eating their catch — unless their dinner was snatched up by one of the other eagles soaring by.

There were so many other photographers lined up along the fence at the dam that day waiting to take photos as the eagles flew overhead. As soon as someone would spot one of the birds of prey, they would call out, “left” or right” to signal which side the eagle took off so you could start shooting your camera in the right direction. Immediately, you would hear the continuous clicking sounds of the shutters going off, as the photographers spun around in a circular pattern following the flight of the eagle, trying not to become dizzy as they got their best shot of this powerful bird.

It is an amazing site to see so many eagles at one location and to be able to watch their behavior. I couldn’t help but create two paper sculpture eagles that were featured at two miniature art shows — the juried 25th Annual International Miniature Show at Parklane Gallery in Kirkland, Washington, and the 26th International Miniature Art Show at Seaside Art Gallery in Nags Head, North Carolina.

Like all of my paper sculpture designs, the eagle below, titled “Keeping Watch,” is all made from paper. Each feather is individually hand-cut out of white paper, shaped and glued together to form the eagle. Even the talons are made from paper. After the eagle is formed, it is then painted in watercolor and gouache. The paper sculpture eagle is framed in a wooden shadowbox picture frame.