Sketchbook Project: Kraken

Kraken, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.Add caption

I'm chugging along with my "Uncharted Waters" sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project! This one was really fun to draw!

This time I drew Krakens; they're giant squid-like sea monsters that attack ships somewhere in the North Atlantic near Norway. Although the line "Release the Kraken!" is the most memorable from "Clash of the Titans", Krakens were not a Greek invention (although they have plenty of sea monsters that might have inspired Kraken stories later). 

Rumors of Kraken attacks reached their height in the 17th and 18th centuries, and they were widely accepted as real creatures. Carl Linnaeus even classified them, and gave them a scientific name in his writings (to read about more crazy stuff that he classified, I recommend Naming Nature by Carol Kaesuk Yoon.)

Although these Kraken stories are interesting, I really drew them so I'd get the chance to draw all of the tentacles!!

Illustration Friday: Separated

Hibernating fox, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.

This hibernating fox is separated from the winter weather; he's snuggled up in his warm burrow.

Here's a close up of the fox since it didn't photograph so well:

I hope everyone is staying warm too! It hasn't snowed in Philadelphia since late October, but it's finally gotten cold enough again for some of the white stuff.


Update! (1/6):
 Here is a nice scanned version... the colors are much better than my photos:

Look for prints soon!

Sketchbook Project: Uncegila

Unceglia, pen, watercolor & acrylic ink on watercolor paper, 7 x 10", 2011.





 I'm still working on my "Uncharted Waters" sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project.

This time I picked a creature from Native American mythology. Uncegila was a giant river snake who polluted water (notice my little fish skeletons in the background). She was killed by twin brothers, and when she died it created the badlands in Nebraska.

I love snakes and reptiles... they always seem to get a bad rap in mythology and world religions!