A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Marine Iguana

Here's a quick warm up painting I did today in about a half hour. I'm trying to speed up my work process and trying not to sacrifice quality at the same time....I think I need some more work on that.
So, this is a Marine Iguana native to the Galapagos Islands, Charles Darwin's favorite haunt. He described them as "hideous-looking" and "most disgusting, clumsy lizards." I'd disagree, it's called character ;) They're generally found on the water's edge where they hop into the ocean to feed on algae and seaweed. A distinctive white spot or "wig" is often formed on their head from sneezing out all the salt from the water. It lands on their heads and Voila!, iguana wig!

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Giant Panda

No this is not a Kung Fu panda, he's lazier. Pandas were previously thought to be part of the raccoon family, but of course they belong to the bears. Also they're technically part of the carnivore group, but they actually just eat bamboo 99% of time. They've also been know to eat bananas....mmmmmm, bananas.....a bear after my own heart.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Tuna, the Wild Domestic House Cat

I think I have O.C.C.D. (Obsessive Compulsive Cat Disorder) She's my animal of the day and no stranger to my blog, my little cat Tuna. She's about 3 1/2 years old now, and can truly be a nightmare, but for the most has brought me more joy than any pet has.

I've really been trying to push my realism lately with my painting. Getting her to pose for this was a challenge, so a lot had to be based off memory and having quick bursts of speed painting when she actually would return to the position. Oh well, I pay her in treats, so she's happy

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) The Harpy Eagle

Here's some quick studies I did of the Harpy Eagle. These birds are beautiful and HUGE. They're considered the largest predatory bird in the world, with a wing span up to 7 feet and talons equal to that of bear claws. Their range is from Southern Mexico to the rain forests of Argentina, AND they're the national bird of Panama. The name comes from Harpyja, the predatory half-woman, half-bird monster of Greek mythology. They expand out their facial and head feather to form a disc shape in order to focus in sounds waves to improve hearing, which is similar to what owls do. It's diet includes tree animals such as sloths, monkeys, and other birds.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Gorilla

With DNA 98-99%, gorillas are amongst the primates most closely related to us. Pretty impressive. I get a kick out of their name which is derived from the greek word Gorillai, which translates as a "tribe of hairy women". Good times!
I decided to just go with a sketch this time, since I liked the way it was going. I really tried to emphasize that upper arm mass they have.

Surprised, Shocked, And All The Rest

Yes we're surprised...,but at what? Stay tuned.

A.O.T.D. (Animal of the Day) Caterpillar

More specifically this is a black swallowtail caterpillar. I figured since it was the time of year when people are forming resolutions and looking to change into the beautful butterflies they see in their minds it be only appropriate to make this. What will you turn into? Happy New Year!