The (very fun) wildlife (non-bird) art thread

they are cones - not sure what from - might be larch - I'm afraid these are finished sketches!!!

thanks for the lovely colourful flower painting - just the thing to brighten up a cold January day!  I like the way you have added depth to it - lovely :)

here is my landscape sketch from the other day - River Add, Dunadd, mid Argyll (from one of my old photos) - brush pen and acrylic wash on cartridge paper

initial sketch

finished version

an attempt at a red squirrel!  artist pen and watercolour

Bright yes, I was testing using as many colours as possible (only managed 5) since I tend to limit my palette to 3-4 colours at most (my incompetence perhaps), but for florals it just was not always working for me using a limited palette. Anyway, it'll be nice to see more of your flowers since you love them so much. I used to paint within confined lines, and they looked a bit stylised. I also use to do detail, and none of these results pleased me, in fact, they greatly displeased me. I would be horrified to post these old works.....!

As for your sketches, I can see why you'd use so many greys given where you live. Are you using one grey? It looks the same hue. You can mix greys really easily and that will give some contrast, interest and variation. That's what's lovely about watercolour (or acrylic for that matter) were you to use it, you can mix your greys in one wet wash, they all glow, one greenish, one reddish, others blueish or violet, etc, without changing the overall tone. It really makes a difference to the overall feeling/look. I said I've tried everything but actually that was a generalisation, I have never explored landscapes. I'll see if I can post an ink and wash full of different greys today.

And it's a nice pose you chose for the squirrel, with a mysterious expression too. I like the mix of cool and warm colours, and did you use transparent pigments? It looks more opaque (shadows) than your usual WC but maybe that was what you were after. And I'm surprised you did not go to town with the tail, though admittedly it's not a peacock's train by any stretch. And so lucky are you to live somewhere where they still exist, they are such cuties.

like you I tend to use a fairly limited pallet - I agree with you, some colours you need just cannot easily be mixed - e.g. some pinks, different yellows, etc

the grey wasn't anything to do with the weather (for a change!) - just a quick monocolour sketch - will be interested to see your landscape - haven't tried mixing different greys for a landscape.

the squirrel didn't quite work out but it is miles better than my first attempt which got binned (my OH very kindly blamed the cold I have!) - I like bits of it but I know it doesn't all work - intending to do another one.   I agree, very lucky to still have red squirrels in Scotland - this one was in Dumfries and Galloway - they are absolutely gorgeous and great to watch!

here is one I did a few years ago in a very different technique (SketchbookPro on a tablet - unfortunately the tablet died last year and I lost all the files - but fortunately I had emailed some to my work to show colleagues so emailed them back to myself and rescued them!)  - have not yet bought a new one (I've borrowed an old one from my OH but it is a bit clunky and slow)

Love the sketchook pro version, that app is amazing when you're out and about. It's quirky and full of charm, playful is the word. And I never said it did not work so in no way think that, just not as fresh as the other watercolours (pose is well chosen though) but that may simply be down to your choice of pigments. Truth is with WC, once you've killed it with a wrong layer/wash, it's a 'gonner' (spelling?). It'll start to turn to mud really quickly. You should post more sketchbook stuff if you can, I think you can use it on your computer but that may be a nuisance since the great thing about that is its portability. I used to use it, maybe something to investigate since the style can be so graphic, and I refuse to fork out for things like markers, etc, all those illustration materials. One would love to, but well, I have a cupboard-full of materials. Puts me to shame.

thanks Elle :)  it's okay elle, I knew when I posted it, didn't really work (and OH's reaction too - sort of "it is okay but you've done better"0'!!)!   I didn't find the tablet much use for out and about - too much reflection on screen - it was a cheap and cheerful tablet.   You sound like me - I have FAR too many old art materials (some of which are so old they are probably almost unusable)- however, they are great to have there when I want to try something different).   as I used to do very large portraits/figure drawings have rather a lot of very large paper/card (and I'm currently doing small birds!!)

here is another sketchbook pro drawing - again from a few years ago (really need to do some again) - this is a hare

I do think your sketches on the tablet are really brilliant, since you seem to have captured only the essentials, more immediate than working from your photos. I can see how your hand sketches have been translated into digital form and can actually see a link between the two, that is, your hand. Shame you lost so many, I had the same problems, but mine were hardly sketches, more colour swatches.

OK, I'm kind of falling in love with flowers again. Such simple shapes, colours and  the wonderful design and variety found in nature.

WC 'doodling' peonies (teeeny, 8x5cm!) plus the essential happy accidents

like your peonies - lovely colours and abstract but still recognisable as peonies - lovely :)

thank you re tablet sketches :)  my hare was a tablet sketch from a photo not from life - unfortunately they don't stay still long enough - the only bird I've managed to do from life successfully on tablet so far was the woodpigeon.

That does not surprise me! Those wood pigeons sometimes are as fearless as those feral ones. I cannot believe you can get within a feet of one and still it does not bolt. Too busy with eyes on the ground looking for grain I suspect. They are strange because they are mute most of the time, I wonder why that is? The only time I know they are present nearby is when they flap like crazy. And thanks, I do adore peonies, they're so round.

Very slow thread, but I'll change that!

Here's two WC 'doodles'. Just having fun with flowers, it happens. I got seriously carried away with one since I was having too much fun adding to the composition overgrowing the paper. Again, it happens.

Both WC on paper.

Anemones

Peony spray