Thursday, September 15, 2011

SNUG in a SNAG

   I thought I was a nature lover; but the only kind of snag I was familiar with was the kind I get in my sweaters (darn those hangnails), until I worked on this piece.  Snags being, of course, dead trees that serve as hosts to all kinds of animals, fungi and new plants that grow in the rich soil they provide from their decay. This accompanied a page in Ranger Rick that encourages kids to see how much wildlife they can find in and around a snag.  So naturally, this snag is fully occupied.

art created 8-12-11
 
   Mr. Squirrel is a memory portrait of one cutie that destroyed our sunflowers. The one that came right up to my window ledge and gave me that very cute look.  Just checking to see if I was home.
  This is a technique I've used a few times before. The pencil drawing is completed first, then scanned and tinted; then colored in photoshop on a layer in the multiply setting so that the color is behind the drawing. The main drawback in working this way is not having a completed work of original art in color.  But I'm fairly pleased with it, so I'm turning this one into a promo piece.


detail

4 comments:

sheree boyd said...

lol at the flying squirrel! i like the wee chipmunk. do you think there are any vacancies b/c i wouldn't mind living there myself!

Debbie Palen said...

OK!! I have a new page now for replying! But not sure if/how you see it.
Thanks Sheree! There's a penthouse suite becoming available when the owls fly away! You have first dibs.

sheree boyd said...

Rad..i think my mid century modern furniture will look great in the tree! :) do you think i can pay rent with acorns?

Debbie Palen said...

Acorns, walnuts, berries and mushroom caps are all standard currency here! 200 acorns (or a mix of any of the above) per year.