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RTH: Find your own tree!
by Eregyrn
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This was a long-overdue trade for Karena, owner of Quick Fang, who originally expressed that she wanted something that would emphasize how small an elf like QF is when compared to a great horned owl (QF is on the small side even for an elf). I was enthusiastic about this, as I love owls... but that meant I had to draw one.
Fun fact: great horned owls can reach up to 25" in height. (Quick Fang here is about 40" when she is standing up straight.) The larger ones are females. Another fun fact: great horned owls are one of the few predators who are not deterred by a skunk's scent-bomb defense. They just don't seem to care, and thus are rather known for their willingness to take and eat skunks.
Quick Fang is, obviously, not thrilled that the owl has chosen her lookout-tree for dining.
Pentel Pocket Brush pen inks, Copic marker coloring, effects in Photoshop.
For owl refs, I looked at various life pics and also taxidermy; but I am very much indebted to studying the methods for breaking down owl shapes and linework of an artist I follow on LJ and dA named Lyosha. Her work is amazing, especially when her subject is birds.
Posted August 11, 2011, 04:37:04 PM
river twine, quick fang, owl
Fun fact: great horned owls can reach up to 25" in height. (Quick Fang here is about 40" when she is standing up straight.) The larger ones are females. Another fun fact: great horned owls are one of the few predators who are not deterred by a skunk's scent-bomb defense. They just don't seem to care, and thus are rather known for their willingness to take and eat skunks.
Quick Fang is, obviously, not thrilled that the owl has chosen her lookout-tree for dining.
Pentel Pocket Brush pen inks, Copic marker coloring, effects in Photoshop.
For owl refs, I looked at various life pics and also taxidermy; but I am very much indebted to studying the methods for breaking down owl shapes and linework of an artist I follow on LJ and dA named Lyosha. Her work is amazing, especially when her subject is birds.
Posted August 11, 2011, 04:37:04 PM
river twine, quick fang, owl
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Foxeye
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Comment #1 - Posted August 12, 2011, 08:37:08 PM
Bubo!
 (That's what my dad "named" all the Greated Horned's that he rehabilitated. All the saw whet owls were Rambo. As per me, all the osprey's were "Pain in the ass".)You've been doing some really captivating art lately. Did you have any particular breakthrough's recently, or is this just one of those organic changes that sneak up on a person? |
Afke
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Comment #2 - Posted August 13, 2011, 01:46:27 AM
I looove the look on her face, can't get much more annoyed, except perhaps if she growled.
 The owl seems just as irritated though, I love this scene! |
Treefox
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Comment #3 - Posted August 14, 2011, 11:25:56 AM
A great scene, indeed. Where did you get this idea?
The Qickfang and the owl look wonderful. I like how the owl is a mixture of looking realistic and yet fitting with your usual style. |
Mirror
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Comment #4 - Posted August 14, 2011, 02:00:18 PM
The owl's expression is priceless
Great composition, great overall 
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Midnight
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Comment #5 - Posted August 15, 2011, 10:34:12 AM
Heh-heh. Maybe owls are all eyes and not much into scent......though I can't imagine how it keeps them big eyes from watering over the strength of skunk-stench! Nice illustration and wonderful scenery to compliment the subjects of this paintings. I so do love your stuff!!
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Eregyrn
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Comment #6 - Posted August 15, 2011, 04:26:22 PM
Foxeye: thanks! *blush* I can't really think of any specific breakthroughs within the past half-year or so, though; in fact I've felt kind of blocked, creatively, and getting myself to start things has been a struggle. (I'm usually better once it's started.) So I guess it's snuck up on me.
(One of my mother's outdoor wild cats who became an indoor cat was named Pita --which is the obvious acronym.  )Afke: I think great horned owls are one of my favorites because they ALWAYS look kind of irritated or grumpy, which I think is just adorable. (Saw-whets do the grumpy look very well, too. Not all owls do it. It doesn't seem like owls with dark eyes look terribly grumpy.) Treefox: I got the idea because Quick Fang's owner wanted something showing how big a big owl would be next to a small elf, so I immediately thought of both perched in a tree, which would have the elf crouching and looking even closer to the owl's size. The skunk idea came after reading about how GHOs are the only frequent predator of skunks. Midnight: a lot of sources seem to claim that the skunk-predation is proof that GHOs just don't HAVE much of a sense of smell. But I haven't figure out yet whether that has been independently confirmed by other experimentation or observation... or if that's just what everyone thinks must be the case, given that they will prey on skunks when almost all other predators rightly leave them alone! |
Amberfox
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Comment #7 - Posted August 22, 2011, 05:52:45 AM
I loved working with great horned owls at the Raptor Rehab Center, such beautiful birds. And yes, they could look and sound REALLY grumpy. Of course, they WERE grumpy when you handled them. As for the smells, birds typically (few exceptions) have weaker senses of smell and taste. Most bird species have strong senses of sight, hearing, and feeling and rely on those than the other two. Not surprising, the sense of smell and taste are linked.
Foxeye, ever handle a coopers hawk? The ospreys had NOTHING on those bad boys. But I did impress the others when I grabbed one in mid flight and transported him to his cage. Mwahahaha, Mr Coopers Hawk. Eregryn, the rendering of the owl is wonderful, although on my mother's computer (visiting family), it appears a little lighter than usual. Maybe it's in winter plumage, or Mom's computer shows colors lighter than they are (I'm inclined toward the latter). Love the annoyed, grumpy expression. The pine tree is a perfect backdrop, although, again, the bark appears light on Mom's computer but the pattern is perfect. Love the pose on Quick Fang; it's so natural and fluid. Always a fan of your work! |
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