It's been an odd day. I went to the state natural history museum to draw animals. It'll be good practice, I thought, to draw from their formerly alive, now taxidermied, wild animals. No problems with my subjects not holding their poses, right? But when I saw those deer, that bobcat, those ravens, that fox squirrel, those ducks, that pelican arranged in their stiff poses, in their glass cases, sans sheen, sans grace, sans spirit, sans... anything... I couldn't do it. I couldn't draw them. Not after my morning with the Jersey cows.
Here, though, are some quick sketches of animal skeletons. Straightforward skeletons.
I know this looks like a flea, seen under a microscope, but it is a full frontal view of a manatee skeleton. Here's a side view. 
If you know what this is, please tell me. I forgot to find out.
Coming home, I had to draw my dog and cat, awake, ALIVE, and certainly not holding a pose for longer than half a second.
Yes, Anthony, it MUST be a dolphin or porpoise! Thank you so much! You can tell I was a bit freaked out because usually I'm quite the factfinder ;D. And thanks everyone for such positive comments. Interesting to discover that so many of you feel the same way I did. Of course, there are much finer specimens than the ones in my local museum---at the Natural History Museum in NYC, for example. I still think I'd keenly feel the loss of spirit there, too.
Posted by: Laura | August 15, 2006 at 03:11 PM
wonderful dog & cat drawings! Guess they came out of the lost animals at the Nat History Museum...
Posted by: ParisBreakfasts | August 15, 2006 at 01:34 PM
Hi Laura,
Still following your drawings and they are fantastic.
I also feel there is no substitute for the real thing.
But did you know that James Auduban who painted birds (of the Audubon Society) painted from stuffed birds. He would either kill or find a specimen and have it stuffed. Kind of sad when you think about it now days. thank goodness for powerful cameras to take pics of the animls we wish to draw and paint.
Posted by: Toni Kelly | August 15, 2006 at 08:45 AM
Hi Laura,
I think the skeleton you're asking about is a dolphin or porpoise skeleton. Here's one I found that looks like it:
http://members.shaw.ca/spyhopper/Skeletals/HarborPorpoiseSkeleton.jpg
Wonderful, vibrant work as always. I like your use of color in the middle sketch, too.
Posted by: Anthony | August 14, 2006 at 05:24 PM
I think you could have a career at gesture drawing laura..you really could teach a class.
Your lines are quick, yet so acurate and graceful. It's those big brown eyes on those soft jersey cows! Try drawing dairy cows and maybe they will get you out of this love spell. hah.
wonderful stuff L.
Posted by: niff | August 14, 2006 at 01:56 PM
the skeletons are terrific, your line so graceful and quick you seem to have grasped instantly the intricacy of the structure, I am so impressed! (knowing that I'd have been muuuucccchhhh slower at it)
Live animals are much better I agree, the movemment and gestures are difficult to capture but fun to try plus they're nice to talk to :)
Posted by: Cin | August 14, 2006 at 11:35 AM