Thursday 24 July 2008

ANIMAL SKETCHES DURING MY TRIP TO SOUTH AFRICA

Having my brother and wife here for a week and getting out and about, I have not created any new sketches or artwork, and as my new big big 250GB computer and 2GB RAM has been fitted today together with a wonderful scanner/printer 3in1, I can post some of my sketches I did when I went out to South Africa last October. I decided to use some of the animal sketches this time round.

My notes in the sketchbook remind me that this penguin colony are known as Jack Ass penguins because they bray like an ass and 2 pairs settled here in the Boulder Bay in 1984 and now there are over 3,500!! They were great fun to sit amongst and sketch.
This ostrict was wandering alongside the road on our way to Cango Wildlife Ranch. I actually picked up one of his feathers and stuck it in the sketchbook.

We spied this tortoise (slow enough to get some of the shell design and colour to finish later) amongst the flowers growing right down to the beach in Cape of Good Hope.
Number 4 today is a group of zebras in the Pumba Reserve who stood around for ages.

Now I have the scanner I will be able to post other sketches from my trip from landscapes, buildings, people and (of course they say) flowers.

9 comments:

Robyn Sinclair said...

How lovely to peek into your sketchbooks, Joan. Wonderful tortoise and zebras. I look forward to more from Africa.

Your scans seem a little out of focus in parts. Did you close the lid of the scanner? Or maybe you need to place a heavy book on top of the sketchbook. The sketches are great - you just need to find a way to scan sharply. And wow a 250GB computer! That should keep you happy for a while.

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Thanks for the advice Robyn. The lid would not close on my sketchbook but I'll try the heavy book on it next time.

brian nelson said...

great sketches!

Lottery Girl said...

These are wonderful sketches!

The penguins reminded me of how every year at Christmas, one of the malls in Dallas used to get Black Footed Penguins (originally from South Africa) in from the zoo. We'd watch them for hours.

Robert A Vollrath said...

Oh Joan!

You are such a talent! I love these sketches. To see wild penguins must be so much fun.

You should do a children's book.
The turtle looks like a page from a storybook.

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Thanks Lottery Girl and Robert for your comments. ... but you see Robert I am not a writer!!!! nor did I train as an illustrator.

Robert A Vollrath said...

You've written and illustrated a beautiful blog with your works and thoughts.

Lottery Girl said...

Joan,

Robert is right about the writing and illustrating. I believe that EVERY person has a story to tell. If you feel compelled to write a story, then that is all that matters.

Natalie Goldberg wrote a beautiful writing book entitled "Writing Down the Bones." Pat Schneider wrote "Writing Alone and With Others." The reason I mention both of these books is because both authors maintain that all you need to write is some paper and a pen, and they are absolutely correct. Schneider often teaches writing in communities largely ignored by mainstream culture, such as women in prison, or in abuse centers, etc. Again, the point is, EVERY person has a story to tell.

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Thanks Robert and Lottery Girl for taking the trouble to give me your encouragement. I had hoped to put all my notes and sketches together to have printed but seem to be getting nowhere fast finding a publisher to approach. .. so as I 'go with the flow' - decided it was not to be.... yet. I'll wait until something comes my way I can take advantage of.