I've known many roosters over the last few years, and one thing they all have in common, besides a glorious crow, is
THEIR STUNNING BEAUTY.
Therefore it is quite surprising that I had never before drawn or painted any of my rooster friends; until this week, when I needed a page in my garden book representing Pumpkins and Squash.
All the lumps and bumps and creases in a rooster's face , which give him such character, are also seen in many wonderful gourds and squashes.
Referring to the dozens of pictures I've taken of chicks and chickens, I enjoyed drawing each feather and bit of fluff.
Going through my archives, I found this photo. I had forgotten how much that little hen and rooster enjoyed sitting in the cupboard of the potting shed, cute.
It made such a perfect photo shoot, I let them hang out in the cubbyhole.
These art pieces I have been creating will be used in the garden book, but will also be made available as greeting cards and offset lithographic prints
When I paint this piece, I will use all the wonderful oranges, reds, yellows and deep greens we see in gourds and squashes.
(horrid photo, but you get the idea)
My real model is Charlemagne, below, he is a mix of Rhode Island red and a Buff Orpington.
Still a few pencil strokes to go... and then on to a drawing of an ALPACA....on a swing....in a walled garden.
Fondly from the Hollow, the chicks and me...
THEIR STUNNING BEAUTY.
Therefore it is quite surprising that I had never before drawn or painted any of my rooster friends; until this week, when I needed a page in my garden book representing Pumpkins and Squash.
Referring to the dozens of pictures I've taken of chicks and chickens, I enjoyed drawing each feather and bit of fluff.
It made such a perfect photo shoot, I let them hang out in the cubbyhole.
My real model is Charlemagne, below, he is a mix of Rhode Island red and a Buff Orpington.
Fondly from the Hollow, the chicks and me...
I can't wait to see your beauties in color I know they will be fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI'm itching to get to the painting!
DeleteJeri,
ReplyDeleteYou are going to draw an Alpaca on a swing? MARVELOUS! I cannot wait to see this.. How I love your illustrations here. Rooster Dude...King of the Squash, I love it! haa... The chicks are so darn adorable with their little hats...
Love the photo shoot in the potting shed... He is magnificent!
The colors you will be using stunning.. So brilliant.. Looking forward to seeing the watercolor.
fondly,
Penny
The alpaca was supposed to be a delicate looking lady Apaca, but after I drew "her" she looked more manly and now it is a gentleman. So now I really have to rework my idea about the swing....although, why shouldn't a Male Alpaca get to swing too??!!
DeleteYou always take my breath away, dear Jeri! Your talent knows no limit. I think King of the Squash will delight your fans! I can't wait to see what you do next with him in all of his glorious color! ♥
ReplyDeleteMartha, He will be a challenge to paint, but I am going to enjoy every little feather along the way!
DeleteI am so looking forward to your garden book! King of the Squash is magnificent, for sure!
ReplyDeleteIt may take quite awhile, it has a lot of small drawings in it as well as some photographs. Hopefully, by next Spring I will have it in my hands.
DeleteCharlemagne certainly has the kingly posture and the imperious stare of a true monarch
ReplyDeleteCharlemagne is definitely the "man of the House", when it comes to the other roosters. Fortunately, he is not a warrior King and doesn't lord it over the other guys.
DeleteOh how I miss you sweet, creative, sensitive lady.... hope you
ReplyDeleteenjoyed the snows and the lovely warmth of the sun we are now
having...today was special. Love to you ~
Gentility
MARY! My goodness, I have missed you too. Wasn't that just the nicest snow? Just enough, but not too much. We will out your way twice this year, hope we can meet up!
DeleteI look forward to seeing your rooster in color. I recently saw a chicken on Facebook that had the most beautiful smattering of blue in its feathers.
ReplyDeleteCathy, Roosters are really magnificent looking creatures, and they know it! I had one with blue and green feathers interspersed with orange and red. He was something else!
DeleteCharlemagne is quite a stunner! Does he have a nice personality, or is he a bit feisty? Our little banty rooster, Rusty, was horrible. He only behaved for my husband. Our big black and white rooster, Pepper, was a darling and had very little sight by the end of his life. LOVE your drawing! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteJenn, Yes, he does have a nice demeanor, and will eat out of my hand. I've had a few meanies before, but they picked on each other not on humans. On the other hand, I had a goose that chased every other human that came on the property except me, I loved her, my husband sure didn't!
DeleteHe is WONDERFUL!!! Like Cathy I am looking forward to seeing in color!!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the Alpaca on a swing! :-)
Warmth and blessings Linnie Lou :-)
Linnie, He would look nice on your kitchen wall, once he is reproduced as a print.
Deleteteeehee
ReplyDeleteteeeeheeeee
I LOVE CHARLEMAGNE! I think he's my favorite (maybe it's the French connection)
JERI LANDERS, you have taught me a marvelous lesson at this moment, this morning, this 31st day of January. YOU, being a seasoned artist (in French, un artiste chevronée) that no matter how long you've been doing art, there is always a FRESH MOMENT of surprise. I love this. Art never allows us to be bored as long as we are present in the moment. I think your idea to capture these magnificent birds is perfect. With all the detail involved, you will shine because you are the queen of detail. AND...I love the sketches with the chicks wearing hats. teeehee
Anita, drawing the chicks was the most fun. Chicks don't stay cute for very long, but these ones will always remain babies in their little caps. You are correct in saying that you have to keep things new with your art.That's why is has been refreshing for me to draw my farm animals, it's been a nice change.
DeleteLove the drawings and subsequent paintings. Roosters are gorgeous. Our favorite one let us carry him around and talked to us. My son just loved Valentino who made all the chicks swoon. A mean old coyote got him early one morning. We were devastated, but will never forget him. Such a gentle soul. I used his spurs as powder horns in a diorama I made for my son, so we still have a remembrance of him.
ReplyDeleteDonna, We had a mean ol FOX. She just used this farm for her market place and annihilated so many of my best and most beloved birds. I kept a claw from one of my favorite roosters, CONAN. But since we got the 2 Pyrenees, we no longer have any predators at all.
DeleteI cannot wait to see the Alpaca....because I am quite sure that I have never seen one on a swing before, let alone in a walled garden!! Love your gourd drawings and your Charlemagne is quite handsome!!
ReplyDeleteOh Jeri - your drawings are awesome. I will be so looking forward to seeing those glorious colors of yours too. I'll be back soon - love Alpacas. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteBeverly and Debbie, That Alpaca is the only animal we DON'T actually have here on the farm, although they do live on a nearby property.It was tricky drawing him.... I find them rather funny looking.... Oh well, You can be the judge!
DeleteWell Jeri, reading through this post and seeing your beautifully observed and executed drawings makes me so very glad to have been able to connect with you site. I am always in awe of your talents, but also continue to learn so much about living outside a city from your posts.
ReplyDeleteI think that your garden book is going to be wonderful. I am imagining how much fun you will have doing the paintings, selecting perfect colorways to represent natural beauty of flora and fauna. (I think that a rooster is to be included within fauna?)
xo
Frances, I love being able to represent our farm critters within this book. I get to pay tribute to the animals that add so much happiness to my life. The Rooster will head a page on growing heritage squashes,pumpkins and squash. He also loves hanging out in the potager in the summer and devouring my tomatoes, but I think I will avoid that chapter.
DeleteHe's such a handsome fellow!
ReplyDeleteWhen we had our chickens in Vermont, we had several roosters. Some of them were just downright awful (as in, looking out the window and seeing your kids running for their lives because the rooster had decided to chase them with talons out, even though they hadn't done a single thing - and never did!) But we had the most WONDERFUL rooster. As a chick, he was a big poofy thing that the kids named Buffy. Turned out Buffy was a boy, but the name still fit. He was positively rainbow with colors! So pretty, and he KNEW it. He just preened and preened, and walked up to the kids asking to be admired. :) Buffy was awesome!
Kyra, All my roosters have been nice to people, thank God. But we had some treacherous turkeys once. They were so mean, we couldn't enter the barnyard without a broomstick to fend them off. I was really happy when they ran away into the woods and we did not see them for a year when they showed up in the Meadow with wild turkey ladies and lots of baby turkeys!
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