Meercats and moose

Meercat study
Graphite, 11 x 14 on Canson

Despite the fact that I was on holiday, I was called in to work to deal with something yesterday. I guess that ups my karma rating somewhere down the road.

I haven't slept well lately and am up very early in the morning which is a good time of day for me to draw. I'm fresh at that point and drawing can push other thoughts to the back of my mind and let me relax for awhile.

That early morning start was where this little guy appeared from. Meercats are interesting creatures, almost catlike in their facial features and forever alert. I'm doing some simple global shading for this and am enjoying the process. Some pieces just slip off the end of the pencil without effort, while others are trial and error, and error and error...

A young bull moose keeps wandering into the garden for the last two days, startling everyone who sees him as he comes so close. As long as he stays out of the vegetable gardens and doesn't walk in the flower beds, he'll be allowed to hang around. Even though they are fairly timid usually, this guy seems overly curious and not scared by noise or people. I just don't trust them or like coming face to face with one around a corner, so he'll be encouraged to move on.

For those who want to take part, the August Virtual Sketch Date reference image is up. Just leave a comment on the blog if you're taking part.