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The Cougar and the Macaw

Well this is gonna be a bit of a random rambling post. It's been a minute since I worked on an illustration. So I sat down with my tablet while the pups sunbathed on our deck. First order of business when I do these drawings is deciding what to draw.


Originally it was going to be a cougar....because like many of our neighbours, I've had cougars on the brain. We live in proximity to quite a bit of wildlife, and right now that looks like multiple attacks and deaths of onleash small dogs in our hood. I understand we are sharing the same space and the cougars have as much right to be here. But I am terrified one of my two jerk babies will be the next cougar snack.


So that has meant lots of anxiety....my brain perseverating about this issue despite us being extra cautious. So ofcourse I'm in crazy mama mode feeling an overwhelming need to supervise and micromanage every single moment of outside time for the pups. So yeah....the last dog pee of the night doesn't happen without flood lights on...flash lights...hubby with his knife...and me with my cane channeling my inner mean mama ready to beat the stuffings out of a poor hungry cougar. Don't judge me.


So I started on a cougar...but the line work was tense...inflexible...there was no flow...and the entire relaxing meditative component of my usual line drawing process was gone...poof...vanished. Enter the Macaw. Thank heavens for Macaws....drawing one has saved my sanity today.


Interesting fact....a cougar's bite pressure is about 720 Pounds per square inch....a Macaw"s is 500 to 700 pounds per square inch. This fact wasn't helpful in addressing my cougar anxiety....now Bertha is insistent we need a couple of trained Macaws out there with us tonight to protect the pups when we go for their last pee. Yes....I know it is a crazy idea...but that's normal in my world.


So about .24 hours and 48 minutes of work later this is where the Macaw has ended up looking like. usually use colour in my plant line drawings but not my animal line drawings....but a Macaw just wouldn't be a Macaw without its dramatic colours. What do you think?


I would love to write more about this illustration....but Miguel is currently yelling at the whole family to get in the car for a car ride....and where he herds us, I must go. (Seriously.....the Corgi instincts are strong with this #CrazyOldMan....he herds us all day long)



A contour line drawing of a brightly coloured Macaw in profile.
Macaw

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