Catfish Project Progress

I've finally gotten to starting on the catfish final. I posted about this ages ago, but it never got past the initial idea phase.

So yesterday, on the 18th, I was free to work it up. I've basically finished the final drawing on watercolor illustration board. It is about 37 inches long and 18 inches wide. Some aspects of this piece will be very hard to imagine in drawing form, but I'll share it anyhow. The small male figure was just drawn out of my head so I'll be getting reference for him before I finalize him. The photos have come out wonky but you'll get the idea. Enjoy! And any feedback is appreciated!

A Preview of Coming Attractions ;)

The Encounter
The other night I saw, for the first time, a swarm of many large catfish coming to the surface. It was almost dark, and all I could see was dark shadows, slimy whiskers, and wide mouths. They had come to snatch bird pellets away from startled ducks and coots.

It was vaguely scary for them to come out of the dark. I didn't worry that they'd eat me, of course. It was simply mysterious. Mystery tends, in my experience, to send a thrill through us wee humans. And animals of all sorts met up close will always inspire my contemplative side.

The Result
I'm not sure if it was the time of night, all silhouettes and the sun's last glow. Or if it was that a creature was coming from a place that I hadn't considered much. But, the experience made me want to make art.

I'll be posting a beginning of this project for my sketch this Friday.

The catfish photo is from deviantart by Slopjockey.
The twilight landscape is one of my own photos. ;)

A Jaunty Portrait

Specifics
This is one of my Mom's characteristic expressions and I'm torn between describing it as effervescent and jaunty. :)

This is a very straightforward drawing without any of the distortion I've been playing with. I was thinking of using my final technique for the distortion and even the storytelling.

Technique
I found myself missing the soft waxy colored pencils when drawing this. I've never loved graphite for drawing. It smears, which means to me it is the art medium equivalent of a child that will not sit still!

I will of course be completely covering this drawing with other media.

Enjoy! :)

Finally Drawn

Not a sketch, but hey it is here to see. ;) This is the final drawing on the surface I will paint and collage onto. It's full size out to the wood is 18 by 18 inches. Enjoy!