While I was visiting the aquarium in Duluth, an announcement came blaring over the speaker system, inviting museum-goers to the daily otter show and feeding. I made my way to the first floor to learn more about the otter sisters, watch their swimming maneuvers, and sketch a few quick-images for later use.
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| She exudes curiosity as she stretches out to race through the water. 6B graphite pencil on tan Strathmore sketch paper. (She needs whiskers that show the pressure and direction of the water flow.) |
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| The tail flattens out and takes on a two-fold function: rudder and power flipper. 6B graphite pencil on tan Strathmore sketch paper. |
I actually liked the fluid motion of the quick-sketches in yesterday's blog and the two above, so used them , to begin my small painting of one of the otters. The reflected light plays such a key role in not only defining the hard edges inside this aquarium, but also in defining the texture of the otter's coat; it looks almost oil-saturated when she is wet, whether under or above the water.
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| Acrylic on Gessobord. Otter in the deep end of the tank. |
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| I will continue to experiment with the reflected light. I do not want to complete lose the color of the otter, however. |
The extended body shape of this rapid swimmer helps define her action under the water. I think my next addition will be the air bubbles that she pulls with her, that help define her motion.
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