Chubby unicorns

“If we can teach people about wildlife, they will be touched. Because humans want to save things that they love.” 

~Steve Irwin~

It's hard to believe over 7 years have gone by since I was in Africa and yet I have never drawn one of the rhinos I saw there! I guess the elephant (I've drawn 7...so far) was the animal I deeply connected with while on safari...and then the lions (drew 5 of them)!

It wasn't until my friend Shaney told me how much she loved them that I took a closer look. So I began following a few Rhino Conservation pages on Instagram: Rhinos in Africa Foundation, Rhino Man the Movie, Save the Rhinos and Rhino Republic, and I fell in love with them too, just as my friend had. 

So, of course I now have about 3 I want to draw!!

I started these white rhinos for a demo I gave last weekend at Blicks Art Store in Pasadena, CA. It's not the typical way I start a drawing, but since it was for a demo I wanted to have various parts started so I could talk about my technique. But now that has come and gone and I can really get cracking...in between my commission work that is...and get them done for a few upcoming exhibitions. And if it sells, as always, a portion will go to one of the groups below to help in their fearless efforts to save the rhino.

And here is the educational portion of this post!!!

The white rhino is the largest of 5 different types of rhinos. It's mouth is wide for grazing and is the friendliest of all of them. Once thought to be extinct, they now thrive in protected sanctuaries (we saw them at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy) but still a fraction of the estimated 100,000 that existed in the early part of the 20th century are now gone due to loss of habitat and poaching.

Several conservation tactics have been taken to prevent the rhinos disappearing from the earth. The northern white rhino have guards 24 hours a day watching over them at Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

Image from: https://imgur.com/gallery/Q1xuD

If you feel moved to help, you can give to Lewa Wildlife Consevancy or Ol Pejeta Conservancy. And if you give $50 or more I will send you a matted print of my rhino drawing...just send me the proof and I will put you on a list when it's done. Thanks!

https://www.instagram.com/kathrynhansendrawings/

"Hope" is the thing with feathers

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

~Emily Dickinson~

*photographs from my trip to Wisconsin in 2014
*For Lease  (c)2016  7.5x9  $620.00
* Hummingbird in progress

7 of my best drawing tips!!

I talk so much about these tips on my Facebook business page in the comment section I thought I'd just gather them here in one easy to read post!!!

It's really all about training yourself to develop observational skills!

1) Drawing upside down and sideways. I am always rotating my piece as I am drawing. What this does is stop my brain from recognizing familiar objects and just drawing it the way it is. This helps develop my ability to see only shapes not preconceived images of eyes, noses, etc.

2) Negative space. This is the space around and in between the forms...the space that surrounds an object, which helps define the boundaries of the positive space. My eye is seeing shapes and space so my drawing is accurate.

3) Values. This will create the illusion of a solid, well defined form. See this recent post about why values are sooo important in drawing.

4) Negative drawing. It's not the same as negative space. Negative drawing is a method of drawing around your lines leaving the white of the paper. It's a very controlled totally intentional way of drawing.

5) Keep your pencil point sharp. I know this sounds inane but without a a very sharp point I wouldn't be able to apply such fine details to my drawing. Plus it keeps all my lines very consistent especially for solid backgrounds.

6) Draw everyday. I make drawing a consistent part of every day. Yes it takes discipline and constant and rigorous practice but I also keep getting better at it because I put in the time. Chuck Close once said “Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just show up and get to work.”

7) The mirror trick. Seeing a reverse image of my drawing helps show me any mistakes I've made. I will typically hold up my reference photo next to my drawing and immediately I can detect any value or form issues.

8) Bonus Tip! Don't let your cat lay on your artwork, this may subject your work to paw prints, fur and scratches!!! who am I kidding...go ahead it's too cute to stop!

Harry and the annual fundraiser!

This will be my 7th year creating a drawing for the California Wildlife Center in Malibu CA for their annual fundraiser in September. I can't even begin to tell you how honored I am that I get to do this! I swear every time I see an animal released back into the wild (almost 5000 last year) by CWC I get a lump in my throat, I am so thrilled by how all these amazing staffers and volunteers have helped yet another animal in Southern Cal!!!

On the Lookout   Kathryn Hansen (c)  2014  5x7

check out these 4 heartfelt short videos about the work CWC does...they are beautifully created!

*All photos courtesy of California Wildlife Center*

see how my drawing got mooned and then branched out from there!

i didn't create my usual monday post this week because i was still working out my acacia tree dilemma.

last thursday night as i was just finishing up the eagle on my acacia tree drawing, i looked up and notice a blue ink like mark on the paper...omg! after picking up and examining every single object on my drawing board i tried in vain wetting and rubbing the paper with a q-tip, then scrapping it with a razor, but to no avail! that mark was deep in the paper. i was sooo bummed, all that work for nothing!

so i took the problem to my facebook fan page and got some interesting suggestions. first i decided to try barry's suggestion of a moon. but that received a few nays.

so back to my branch idea...i went to my hard drive and perused through my african photographs, looking for an acacia branch i might use.

i'm still not happy with the results, so i will have a bit more work this week to get it just right! and just when i wanted to start my zebra drawing...hmmmm!!! i guess the zebras will have to wait!

garden in the desert

i spent a long and amazing weekend in joshua tree again, this time with my sister. we attended a 3 day spiritual workshop by story waters...it was magical and expanding and life changing! 

only had time to snap the blooming cactus around our b&b, as the workshop took up most the weekend.

and since last week, harry has progressed...just need to jump back into the swing of things tonight!

"Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty" 

~Albert Einstein~ 

Tucker Razzing (c) Kathryn Hansen  5.5 x 10.5

the end is in sight!

if all goes well i should be done with this first go around by the end of this week (could be tricky tho with both soccer and Easter this coming weekend!)...then it's onto tightening up the details in the sand and grasses!

a gif of obama

my youngest daughter and i traded services...she made this "gif" of obama for me and i made her pasta. she finished way before me!!

have a fabulously fun weekend!!

a gift

Lucy (c)  2012  Kathryn Hansen

this past saturday night i stayed at home since my boyfriend was out of town at a funeral and my youngest daughter was at an overnight babysitting gig. i was all excited to finish "lucy" as i never stay home on a saturday night to draw! i poured myself a delicious glass of red wine, my oldest daughter was snuggled up tight next to me on the couch, we were watching iron man on tv when all of a sudden my daughter was shrieking at the top of her lungs. my head jerked up, i knocked my wine glass over with my drawing board...wine spilled everywhere...i looked over to see what the heck!! shortie had brought me a gift...a rat larger than our foster kitten coonie! He ran off to my bedroom and that's where i spent a good portion of my saturday night...chasing after a giant rat. after much imploring, i was able to talk my daughter into finally helping me. we exhaustively managed to capture him and get him safely outside. not exactly how i had envisioned my night going but i did complete lucy...my original goal...just had to stay up later than i was expecting!

 

coonie wiped out after all the activity!

shortie, the gift giver keeping a watchful eye on all the commotion

The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire.  

~Sharon Ralls Lemon~

Perfect Bliss  2012 (c) Kathryn Hansen 

lucy is up next in my 5x7 series...she is a bit complex in her details but i think she is going to look great when completed! and since i just finished "perfect bliss", i think i'm going to start work on another horse that emily took photos of in wisconsin this past summer. just in a horse mood i guess!