Animal & Wildlife Challenge - March 2025

[txomsy]

Hiya there!

I think it is about time for the March 2025 challenge. We have had many topics, and this time I would like to propose a somewhat different approach: the theme for March will be "Traveling the World". You can chose from the images below or from any other, as long as it does depict wildlife you've met in your travels, or you plan to meet in future travels, or you'd have liked to meet in a hypothetical travel if you could (not everybody can travel).

The idea is to draw from our experiences off-home (so, not your pet or pot), or to let our inspiration run loose imagining what it could be like if we were to take that long-postponed and longed-for dream travel around the world. Note that short travels (e.g. a neighbor town) do count as well. No need to visit the antipodes.

The pictures I've chosen I did take myself and come from various places I visited for one reason or another, most of the time for work, but sometimes also for leisure. They are straight from the camera, without any post-processing (hint ) other than reducing the size for uploading.

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Hello, and welcome to our monthly ANIMAL & WILDLIFE CHALLENGE.

On the first day of each month various photos and a reference subject will be provided,

Please choose from the photos or the reference subject provided or both to create an artwork in any medium. You can use the photos or reference subject to create any kind of artwork that you like.

Please use only the photos or the reference subject provided.

Please post your artwork starting on the 15th day of the month. (This is the 'Reveal’ Day.)

You can continue to post your artwork from the 15th until the end of the month.

Also, if you wish, please feel free to post any works in progress photos that you took while you were doing your artwork, and any comments about it.
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The next ones were taken at the Canary Islands (Spain)
A paradise bird (yes, it's a flower), from the Botanic Garden at Orotava (Tenerife)

This one is from Taburiente (La Palma). One would say it could be a Tolkien's Ent, wouldn't it?

Following are a few pictures from Lake Nakuru National Park, in Kenya

This one, I think, was taken in Costa Rica (at EARTH University)

I think this other one is from Chile (or Argentina)

This may have been taken in Peru's Amazonia

And a couple unclassified ones

The one at the front looked like posing, while the one at the back seemed to be thinking "what a presumptuous lad!"

Doesn't seem to like paparazzi:

Oh, and one for lovers of patterns / abstraction (this one was taken in Cabarceno, Spain)

I am uncertain if I will have time to participate myself (I'll have some friends visiting in a few days and will be showing them around).

I'd love if these pictures did unleash your imagination or at least provide some appealing reference worth picking your tools and re-interpreting them in a way that you find inspiring (no need to be faithful, creativity rarely is), or prompt you to review those old travel shots you saved and rekindle long-forgotten, old fond memories.

Well, at least I hope you like the idea and go back to some old travel pictures for that snapshot you always intended to work more on and never found the time to.

BTW, remember, this sub-forum is about "Animals and Wildlife", not necessarily painting: if you also have travel photographs to share, Photography (and Film) does also fit in CreativeSpark, so please, do consider sharing them.

Remember, post your artwork answers to the prompt after "Reveal Day", March 15th.

 

[Joy]

Great theme! Thanks for taking the time to do this with so much happening in your life. I think the "Animals and Wildlife" is just meant to be for animals, fish, birds, etc., not flora ( like plants or flowers). Botanical threads are for them.

 

[txomsy]

Ok, thanks, sorry, I apologize, do not know what made me think it includes plants as well, I can no longer edit the post, but will upload a few extra animal pictures to compensate:

I love colorful animals

But also those that hid in camouflage. This guy seems to be holding a book (not!).

Patterns...

And butterflies, I'm always on the lookout for them; they are an endless source of inspiration, surprises and awe.

I took this one in Africa too... what a wonderful continent!

and these I can't remember, much less which species they are or which butterfly they develop into (though I distinctly remember someone telling me they do). Actually it was the color contrast that drew my attention.

As usual, pictures direct from the camera, no post processing at all. All taken by myself.

And, please, do accept my apologies for my mistake. I was in a hurry 'cos I had to take my wife to physiotherapy.

 

[Joy]

Thanks ever so much for the extra photos. Love the joke about the meerkat and the book; that is well observed! Just take of your family and yourself.

 

[txomsy]

Thanks for the kind words. I'll do, that's for now priority no.1.

 

[Sanlynn]

Thanks for hosting txomay.
Here is my contribution this month. It looks like it’s ready for a disco party, I used my Sharpie art markers in black paper sketchbook. 7x9”.

 

[txomsy]

That looks astounding! You have given a great expression to the lizard. And the skin texture is amazing! Thanks for participating.

 

[Joy]

Sandra, that is amazing! So much texture.

 

[txomsy]

OK, so I thought it would look very bad if I didn't participate myself, even if only with a meager paltry quick sketch. And in the end, made two. None of them took more than 10-15 minutes, I think, they are postcard-size (look bigger in the pics), done with graphite/charcoal and a dab touch of sanguine. Nothing fancy, I can spot many troubles in both, but at speed and this size, when I tried to fix any issue, I would only make it worse. You can also see places where I smeared the paper with the hand, I didn't sharpen the leads and should have used the stump here and there, and there are some parts where light reflected off the graphite when I took the photo. Oh, well... at least I took the clutch pencils off my pocket once this month.

So, not art, but at least something. I'll keep trying to find some spare time for the challenge and see if I can contribute something acceptable in time.

 

[Joy]

txomsy, these are spirited and quite good for such a quick sketch. Small amounts of color is well placed. I am still working on mine.

 

[Sanlynn]

Txomsy, I really like these sketches. There’s a nice energy to them. Well done for quick, small works!

 

[Joy]

I don't know which is more embarrassing - posting this so late in the month or having such a disappointing effort. (Well, ok, it is definitely the mediocre result.) This is a watercolor on Arches 140 CP, 8 x 9. txomsy, thanks ever so much for hosting.

 

[txomsy]

I wouldn't call that disappointing, I think it is rather good. You got great colors and a very nice likeness. As for timing... better late than never.

I got a new watercolor pad at Flying Tiger, now I have to find the time to try it.

 

[Sanlynn]

Joy, you are just too hard on yourself. This has good shapes and colours. I agree with better late than never. Just remember we do these for practice and they don’t have to be masterpieces.

 

[Joy]

Thanks to you both!

 

[ams]

Sanlynn, love your colorful lizard.

Txomsy, nice sketches. You did very well with quick sketches. They are great at getting us just focus on the major shapes and not get bogged down with the details.

Joy I love your parrot. You may have been late, but I'm later. I just finished this yesterday.

This is ink and inktense in XL Mixed Media sketchbook.

This is the last one in my sketchbook. Time to start another!

 

[Joy]

Anne, nice definition in the feathers.

 

[Sanlynn]

Nice one, Anne. Love the colours. It’s always exciting to start a new sketchbook.

 

[Jo Castillo]

Dropped in to say I love the sketches/paintings in this thread. Sanlynn the lizard is amazing. Joy and Anne did a lovely tribute to the parrot. txomsy, I like you chose the zebras and lizard, too. I love horses so zebras are close! Love the photos, too. I like to draw and paint from life so rarely do these animals. Thanks for sharing and keeping up the good works.