Twelfth and last drawing in animal series

While I was coloring in this drawing I was thinking that the random color choices were not working out as magically as they had in the eleven preceding ones. But now that its done, and seeing it reduced on the screen, maybe it's okay.

I might try coloring it in again with different color combinations. I guess the possibilities are endless, when you think about it.

The coloring book, with each of the drawings in line, is at the printer. Excited about that! And I'll be making cards and prints of the color series to take to shows. As well as T-shirts! with the cat design. I have to test market one design at a time on shirts, due to the hefty investment. Oh, and a calendar later.

All in all I'm really happy with how the series came out. Each drawing is rich, to me, and bold and unique. So I have a good feeling of work well done. I'm saying this because it isn't always the case that I'm happy with what I've created!

This format, using the proportions of the golden spiral for the design, is something I want to continue to explore. I'm thinking maybe more animals. And maybe the 12 zodiac signs. That could be fun.

Eleventh drawing in the animal series

The penultimate in the series. A crow preening. I like this one for its drama.

5X7 colored pencil

Tenth drawing in the animal series

What a handsome animal! We have a family of foxes here and we see them every day. Sprightly and curious, they are a joy to watch. They trot through the high grass on long black legs and when they see us they stop, sit and stare as though we are as marvelous to them as they are to us. At night, particularly when there is moonlight, we hear their eerie barks.

Just two more drawings in the series to be colored in. (Unfortunately!) I need to get some other stuff done in the next few days, but I hope to get back to finish numbers eleven and twelve next week.

5X7, colored pencil

Ninth drawing in the animal series

These are so much fun!

I have T-shirts in the works with the cat design on them. Exciting! Can only try one design at a time because it's quite an investment and have to see how it goes. But certainly hope to do more. I really love these drawings. Will definitely reproduce them as cards and prints, a 2014 calendar for sure and a coloring book!

The lizard, like the others, 5X7 colored pencil.

Eighth drawing in the animal series

Chose some colors carefully, some randomly. Design based on the golden spiral, as are all the drawings in this series.

5X7 colored pencil

Seventh drawing in the animal series

All randomly chosen colors ~ except for combs, which I wanted to make sure were red, and beaks, which I wanted dark yellow, just to make sure there was a balance of some conformity and consistency.

This one took quite a while to color in, mainly because of the shaping of the feathers with two different colors.

5X7 colored pencil

Sixth drawing for the animal series

The sheep's horn lends itself beautifully to the golden spiral design.

5X7 colored pencil

Fifth drawing in the animal series.

Fifth drawing in the animal series. 5X7 colored pencil

Fourth drawing in animal series

Fourth drawing in the animal series using the proportion of the golden spiral, which you can really see in this one, the rabbit. I used the design when coloring in the body of the bunny.

5X7 colored pencil drawing

Third drawing in the animal series

Just so happened that the random color chosen for the horse's body was the same used for the dog.

5X7 colored pencil drawing

Second drawing in animal series

Again, based on the proportions of the golden spiral, 5X7 colored pencil.

Number two in the series of twelve.

Start of a new series

This is the first in a series of 12 animal drawings based on the golden section or spiral.

I knew I wanted to do this series and was having trouble figuring out just how I wanted to approach it. Then I saw Mishi, with his gorgeous contrasting black and white coat and his deep green eyes, curled up on the kitchen floor, which provided a warm brown background to offset the naturally rich graphic design that he is. And that was all I needed.

I don't remember how the golden spiral came into the equation, but I've had a great time creating the 12 designs. I'll post them as I get them colored in.

Using the colored pencil technique I was playing with for the Post Squares earlier this year, I also took from that experience the abstracted shape thing to create borders for the images. The shapes come from sections of the drawings, by laying a strip of tracing paper over the outline and repeating what's been traced. For coloring, I'm combining random with deliberate choices.

It's 5X7, proportioned for reproduction on cards and prints. I also plan to do the series as larger (24X32) acrylic paintings on wood panels.