Studio Tuesday Blog

New handmade bags!

I recently finished this watercolor, inspired by this year's snowy owl irruption (when snowy owls come south from the Arctic in large numbers). During irruptions they can be seen a lot further south than they normally appear, and often turn up on beaches, farms, and airports. Here in Maryland I've been able to watch 2 snowy owls near the Chesapeake Bay where I live.I painted this Snowy Owl resting in the dunes of the beach, with shells, grasses, and a view of the ocean behind the dunes. I've been experimenting a bit with my illustration process by not using ink (or limiting it). Pretty happy with how this look turned out.  Detail: a scattering of shells washed up in the tide: clams, moon snails, whelks, razor clams, scallops, mussels, and a skate case.This is the owl that inspired the painting. I've been watching this snowy owl for the last couple of weeks out on a nearby farm here in Maryland. The dark barring, which I borrowed for my painting, is typical of a first year owl - which are usually the ones that travel south in irruption years. This photo is from when I first found her, on a favorite perch on top of a short pump house. She seemed more feline than bird to me, like a cat sitting on a roof. Feigned indifference, casual looks around and soft slow blinks with half closed eyes.March 7, 2018 Update:Lucky to have 2 snowy owls within 10 minutes of my house! This one has been roosting in a nearby marina and I finally got some shots last evening. It starts to get active at dusk and often sits on the boats and masts, getting ready to hunt for the night.Prints are available in the shop:https://www.studiotuesday.com/collections/new-in-the-shop/products/snowy-owl-beach-print-watercolor-art-print

This is a new series of watercolor ocean illustrations I created for a nursery in Hawaii. The client wanted me to incorporate tropical and Hawaiian scenery into the illustrations, without being overt or touristy. These were a lot of fun and I drew a lot of sea creatures into these, with simple green islands that hint at lush tropical land in the distance. This is the first illustration I completed in the series of 3. It depicts the open ocean, a large humpback whale takes up most of the composition. Also included are a shark and pilot fish, manta rays, spotted eagle rays, and dolphinfish (Mahi Mahi). A variety of little fish add some additional subtle color throughout. I knew from the beginning that I wanted some nice variation in the color of the water throughout this series. While the first illustration was mostly soft blues, I painted this second one with more of a teal color. This is a shallower ocean with some coral reef. Lots of fish (jacks, butterflyfish, tangs) add bright pops of color of yellow, green, and blue. A hammerhead shark and pilot fish are the focal point. I snuck in another spotted eagle ray and a tiny clownfish. The third illustration is another underwater reef scene. This one with a large sea turtle and a lot of orange fish. Some fun details in this one include a spiny puffer fish (uninflated) and a trumpetfish.I have this series available as limited edition prints. They measure 11x14 inches and are in a limited run of 200 prints each.Humpback Whale PrintHammerhead Sharks PrintSea Turtle Reef Print

Here is one of my illustrated alphabets, which I drew in 2016 and never got around to writing about! This is my woodland alphabet, featuring animals and plants that live in forests. Drawn in my whimsical ink and watercolor style. Lots of animals included in this alphabet: moose, bear, fox, porcupine, squirrel, turtles, salamander, newt, and toad (I especially enjoyed drawing all the amphibians!). As an avid birdwatcher I, of course, drew a lot of birds as well: great horned owl, green heron, wood duck, white-breasted nuthatch, yellow-rumped warbler, chickadee, and belted kingfisher.The plants include moss, oak leaf and acorns, wild violet, and one of my favorites: jack in the pulpit.Choosing words for the alphabet is always one of my favorite parts about the process. Certain letters and the end of the alphabet requires a little creativity. X is often a challenge - this one ending up being a deer X-ing sign.It's fun to figure out clever ways to include all the subjects I want for the theme. Since Moss was used for M, I had to use the moose's Antlers for A. The nuthatch and it's distinctive behavior of hanging Upside down was used for U.The alphabet is drawn and hand lettered in ink and colored with watercolor. This print would fit right into a woodland themed nursery or make a fun addition to the young explorer's room! Prints available in several sizes: 8x10, 11x14, and 13x19 inches.You can find prints in my shop here: Woodland alphabet art print SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Living in the Arctic Polar bears live on the ice covered seas of the Arctic and are specially adapted to survive in the extreme conditions there. Winter temperatures can drop to -50 F! They have a lot of interesting features that help them thrive in this harsh wilderness of ice. Thick layer of insulating fat - keeps polar bears warm, especially in the Arctic waters Black skin (it is an incorrect myth that polar bears use their black skin to absorb sunlight and stay warm) Two layers of fur specially adapted for Arctic winters Fur is colorless, translucent, and hollow. The hairs reflect light which makes the fur appear white, camouflaging it in the snow. Oily, water repellent fur coat   Polar bears are very large! On all fours they are about 7 or 8 feet long. Males are larger than females.  Male Polar bears stand about 10 feet tall on their hind legs Males weigh up to 1500 pounds, sometimes more. Females usually weigh up to 650 pounds. Small round ears, low on the head, help reduce heat loss Inside of ears are lined with fur Excellent sense of smell - can smell prey and food several miles away Good eyesight, adapted for the extremes of the Arctic Polar Bears have an extra set of eyelids to filter bright snow glare, good night vision to hunt in the long dark hours of the Arctic winters, and good underwater vision. Large flat paws act as snowshoes and help distribute weight on ice and snow Rough paw pad texture helps keep traction on ice Strong claws (almost 2 inches long). Used to catch prey and added traction on ice Slightly webbed paws aid in swimming Polar Bear Plunge   Polar bears are excellent swimmers. With powerful arms and shoulders and a streamlined shape they can swim great distances and are quite at home in the water. Uses its front arms to paddle and back legs to steer An extra set of protective, clear eyelids (called nictitating membranes) help polar bears see well underwater - like a pair of goggles! Ear canals and nostrils close while diving and swimming underwater Longest recorded polar bear swim: 426 miles (687 kilometers)A female bear swam for 9 days straight and lost 22% of her body weight (the long swim was made because of melting sea ice)   Polar Bear Cubs Polar bear cubs are born in the Winter months, November through January. They are born in snow dens. The mother digs the den in October and then hibernates. Often two cubs are born, but the size of a litter can range from 1 to 3 cubs. Polar bear cubs weigh around 1 pound at birth. Cubs and mother emerge from their den in the Spring. The cubs stay with their mother about 2 years, sometimes into a third year, while she teaches them how to hunt, swim, dig, find shelter, and all the other important skills necessary to survive.   Hunting and Eating Polar bears are so protected from the cold that they can easily overheat. It takes a lot of energy for them to move fast so they usually amble along in a distinctive, easy pace. They can sprint up to 40 mph for short periods of time.They prefer to ambush their prey from a still position, which is most often seals. They commonly hunt for seals by waiting by breathing holes in the sea ice.Polar bears of the most carnivorous of the bears. They mostly rely on seal blubber. They also eat kelp, grasses, belugas, walruses, carrion (such as beached whales), lemmings, eggs, and will scavenge for garbage if nearby towns.Unlike other bears, polar bears do not hibernate - they hunt year round (with the exception of pregnant females).SourcesAlaska Wilderness LeagueNorth American Bear CenterPolar Bears InternationalNational Wildlife FederationNational Geographic NewsGreat Bear Almanac by Gary BrownRead More Illustrated Animal FactsPolar Bear art prints and cards in the shopSave Save

This week I finished a new illustration of Japanese snow monkeys soaking in a hot spring. This piece was based on a quick doodle, which eventually became more and more complex. It went through a number of revisions, with more monkeys added in the background, rocks in the foreground, distant hills, and layers of rising steam. Detail: a baby monkey soaking in the water next to it's mother.Japanese snow monkeys, or Japanese macaques, live in groups called troops, which are organized in a complex hierarchy, each monkey has it's rank in the troop.If your interested in more I recommend watching PBS's NATURE snow monkeys documentary. It follows a troop of monkeys throughout the seasons of a year, in particular focusing on the unlikely relationship between a grumpy alpha male and a playful youngster. "Their leader is still new to the job and something of a solitary grouch. But one little monkey, innocently unaware of his own lowly social rank, reaches out to this lonely leader, forming a bond with him that manages over time to warm his less than sunny disposition. It is a rare and remarkable gesture that alters both their lives."I watched it on Netflix. You can find more info on the PBS website.Prints are available in the shop! SaveSave Save