Bell Museum with Metro Sketchers

Back at the Bell.  With too much to catch up on at home I wasn't able to stay too long (perhaps a good thing for practicing sketching on site), but was able to hatch out portraits of these Dall's Sheep. As I was sketching away, immersed in my own world a museum-goer made the comment, "it must be easier since they are standing still."  With a quick laugh and a "yes, of course" on my part she moved on.  Though we have yet to see a Dall Sheep on a backpacking trip (they reside in the high mountain ranges from British Columbia to the arctic) we have quite often come across the shy big horned sheep.  Their sense of sound must be significantly more attuned than ours as we spot them 500+ feet away and they quickly scamper on and out of our sight.  Yes, I could never sketch these animals in real life ("now hold still, turn to the right, and put one hoof forward"), but sketching this museum is a nice close second.  Though if any wild animals would like to sit and look pretty for a sketching session, I am of course in! 

Audubon at the Bell Museum

 

Wow, after a few months of being holed up studying, having a weekend to actually do something fun was amazing.  Ever so conveniently for myself, this coincided with a Metro Sketchers gathering at the Bell Museum to sketch the second part of the Audubon exhibition. If you're familiar with nature illustration, then you're familiar with the work of John James Audubon, famous for his sketches of birds. Which brings me to an interesting observation of his work that I chose to draw - I omitted the birds. A crime?  I'll pass this one off as artistic license.  While I admire the work of Audubon greatly, in this piece I was more struck by the dramatic landscape then the large birds originally drawn in (one on top of each cliff).  The birds in flight were added later in order to help lead the eye through the rocks. 

Bell Museum Sketch Night #1 - Celebrate Something Sketchy

 

 

Here is a new one that I was happy to learn about - Sketch Night at the Bell Museum! Once a month the Bell Museum of Natural History hosts an open sketch night for all ages and abilities. Amateurs sketch right along side accomplished illustrators. In addition to being able to sketch anything in the museum, they bring out pieces from their collection not normally on display.  Ok, great idea. Why don't more museums do this?

 

In my first night here I managed to hatch out two sketches. The one above (sketched second) was from a diorama that I admit caught my eye right away as I passed by. I must be a softie when it comes to cute little baby animals.

 

 

And this is the diorama I was sitting in front sketching.  In all, the night lasts two hours.

 



 

Above is my first sketch of the evening. I thought the bone practice would be nice - like back in the days of freshman drawing when your teacher creates an intricate display of obscure objects you have never seen before, inevitably including many bones from unknown animals. I thought this practice a bit um, weird, the first time I came upon it, but now older I feel like I understand it more.  What better way to learn about the subtleties of shadow, texture, and form when these elements are so minimal?  After concentrating on this particular bone for a while I did stop and ask what it is - an Ostrich bone, the top of the lower rump to be specific.

 



 

If you do get a chance to stop by the Bell, there is currently a great exhibit of sketchbooks in the art gallery from those who sketch regularly that is definitely worth checking out!