Final Page

“Criss Cross Apple Sauce!” A T Rex sitting cross legged. That was a mind twister to draw. Bringing the book to a close I wanted to have a few of the dinos from the book give one last look to the read.

I’m now on the fence deciding if I want to get a sketchbook for 2014. My time is fairly limited and there are many projects I want to be working on. Such as a May Day at my son’s preschool where we will be learning about story telling… obsessively making Gak, a goopy playable mass for kids events… sequin darned disco dancing monkeys… playing with textures and layers in photoshop as I finally have a Yiynova Tablet Monitor for my computer! If I wasn’t moving so darn slowly I would say most definitely. I know that in just a few months I will be up at all hours but, drawing isn’t easy with a baby in your lap, although, I have done that.

Transitions and growth continue! I appreciate your continued attention. I also just got some new jars for specimens, we will see what I find to put in them.

Sleepy Plesiosaurs

Did you know technically Plesiosaurs weren’t dinosaurs? They were large swimming reptiles instead. I feel I should say “were” because, of all of the currently believed sitings they really couldn’t have happened. Sadly scientific evidence doesn’t support it. This doesn’t stop me from hoping they still exist today.

However, with all of the stories I do imagine Plesiosaur to be super cuddly creatures.

Dino Yoga

Continuing with making animals do yoga here is a Euoplocephalous in downward dog. I chose to put this specific dinosaur in a yoga pose because generally when I see him, he seems very stiff and immobile which, in reality probably isn’t the case. I’m sure those back legs have a good deal of flexibility for being able to swing that sledge like tail around at predators.

This page leaves us with two pages left. No fear that the blog posts will be ending. I am actually planning to begin one more post a week. I’m not sure yet what the theme will be but, within two more weeks most posts will happen.

Gallimimus Playing Tag

I like to make my base drawings in a reddish hued pencil. I feel I can better build up my line. I enjoyed this for the Gallimimus as I wanted to give them feathers, since it seems very likely they had them. The lighter pencil color lent itself well to the creation of texture.

Today’s post is a little sparse because I am getting over a cold. I was in Boston last week and neglected to take good enough care of myself. I first got laryngitis and then due to too many cough drops, I believe, I got a sinus cold/infection. Flying home was a treat. Thankfully it’s spring in California and the weather is actually humid so, my healing as been expedited. I keep hoping tomorrow I will finally feel almost myself. Maybe tomorrow.

Brachiosaurus Mama and Baby

I think some variation of a long necked mama and a baby is in everyone’s mind. In part because that long neck is so fun to loop in your drawing and second because this is a large animal with it’s tiny offspring.

I blame my childhood plastic Brachiosaurus toy for why every Brachiosaurus I draw ends up blue. Here’s the culprit and yep this toy still lives at my house. This set of dinosaurs was the one thing I saved up my allowance for. I remember being so proud the day I could afford this big mama. Yes, currently this dino is super too.

Begging Dino

This isn’t any breed of dinosaur in particular. He just came to mind while I was sketching. He’s definitely a mixed breed, big human-like toes, puppy attitude and feathery covering.

I feel like you can see a Seussian influence as well. Seuss was definitely the first children’s book illustrator I started mimicking when I was in my early drawing years. I’m not sure why I strayed so far from a cartoon style and went more realistic overall. College classes and influence at that time? My hope this year is to finalize addressing my focus and make a more solid and consistent portfolio.

Transition! It seems like this has been the moto of my life for over a year now. I look forward to a settled life for more than two years at a time. This includes moving house. Maybe this will be the year?

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How big do you imagine this dinosaur to be? Is he human height or dog height or chicken height?

Mirror Image

I can’t get enough Parasaurolophus, they are my favorite dinosaur. That love to see many of them is what spurred the idea to draw them reflecting. Their shape is just marvelous to me, they are the center dinosaur below.

This was another piece that I started early then rushed the finish. I feel if I had not been pregnant sick, yep the pregnancy was why I was so sick in January, the mirroring could have gotten more complex. I’m still happy with how it came out and it was a nice study to draw. Like the Spinosaurus I hope to take this piece further.

Chubby Stego

I love the idea of this huge bulky dinosaur with a tiny head but, a ton of power. That tail would have so much strength to it. Then he would be a total cuddly sweet heart.

I love when a dinosaurs name is given phonetically as well as spelled out. Some of them are so hard to pronounce, it is nice to feel like you might almost be saying it correctly. I remember when my son was under 2 and asked to hear all the names of the dinosaurs, it was helpful to me and him to find their names also phonetically within the books we were reading.

Big Chickens

For a long time now, well since I heard that Dinosaurs are relatives of birds not lizards, I have enjoyed the idea that Tyrannosaurus Rex was like a big Chicken, kind of silly with patchy feathers all over. Now this is not to say that he was related to birds or had feathers. This is just what my imagination says.

As Small as a Hummingbird

Living in California I have the pleasure of seeing hummingbirds everyday. I keep a feeder close to a window for a good view as they come up to feed. It cracks me up watching turf wars between these little birds over who gets to feed and who is breaking in on our main male’s territory.

The hummingbirds most commonly seen in our area are Annas. The Males have full red heads and the females have a little spot of red under their chin. You can only see this red when they flash these scale like feathers at the sun. Otherwise the areas look black.

I loved the idea of a dinosaur like hummingbird.

Illustration and Musings

by Casey Girard

Category Archives: 2013