# After the Storm



## toadflax (Jul 14, 2009)

My mare before she went blind. Thought it would be a good trick to draw my own animal for a change--.


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## fuzzyfeet (Aug 29, 2009)

your a great drawer! and what a pretty horse, how come she went blind?


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## Scrambles (Aug 23, 2009)

Whoa! You _drew_ that?! It looks like a black and white picture!


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

I still can't get over the amazing detail in your artwork, it would be very easy to convince me that was a photograph (thank you again for my rattie picture! Both rats in that picture did shortly after I received it, so it meant even more!)


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## toadflax (Jul 14, 2009)

fuzzyfeet said:


> your a great drawer! and what a pretty horse, how come she went blind?


Thanks, she went blind from uveitis about 9 years ago. It's kind of sad for me to 'see' her healthy and whole, even in a drawing. I thought she was perfect from the moment I met her.I still have her, she's 28 and a total love, but I really miss her too. She was an awesome saddle horse.


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## toadflax (Jul 14, 2009)

Oh no, they both died?! I'm sorry to hear that, I know their life spans aren't so long, but still, that's too bad.

Thanks, I've spent some time here trying to loosen my technique but it keeps creeping back tighter, *sigh* but it's been fun experimenting with other folks' critters. That rat picture was FUN!




1dog3cats17rodents said:


> I still can't get over the amazing detail in your artwork, it would be very easy to convince me that was a photograph (thank you again for my rattie picture! Both rats in that picture did shortly after I received it, so it meant even more!)


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## toadflax (Jul 14, 2009)

Hi, Scrambles, that's a seriously cute doggy.
Yep, it's a drawing, you could tell if you saw the original. I like giving myself headaches I guess .




Scrambles said:


> Whoa! You _drew_ that?! It looks like a black and white picture!


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Sorry to steal your thread, but yes, they both died :-( Pumpkin, the orange one had a small mammary tumor I'd know about for a few months. Cecile developed a brain tumor quickly and had to be PTS as her symptoms worsened. Within three days after Cecile's death, Pumpkins tumor had grown to at least three times it's previous size and pressed internally. She did the night before her vet appointment to be PTS :-(


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## toadflax (Jul 14, 2009)

Oh, steal away, I like your rats! I'm just sorry to hear that, I did sort of know them and I thought they were adorable--I smile whenever I look at that picture.
Gosh, for little guys it sounds like they get their share of problems just like dogs and horses.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Tumors and upper respiratory infections are big problems with small animals, proper care is not cheap. I spent $205 in one vet appointment, plus another $40 to have Cecile PTS, and it would have been more to have Pumpkin PTS. In my 6 years of rodent owning, I've spent at least $1,000 in vet care, including multiple URI's and in particular, one rat cost $250 to get a tumor removed, plus another $125 for serious pnemonia due to her weakened immune system. Granted I've owned up to 26 rodents at one time, but still. It drives me crazy when people think of them as cheap easy "throw away" pets for their 5 year old

Thanks for letting rant (sorry) and thanks for your care about my babies!


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## toadflax (Jul 14, 2009)

OOps, I'm afraid to admit I might have been in that category--I had no idea really.
Is it hard to find a vet who can treat rats?I do know someone who kept a bunny and a guinea pig and went through quite a lot of end-of-life issues and money with them.


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## Sixxofdiamonds (May 7, 2009)

Gorgeous! It's funny how rarely we draw our own animals, isn't it?

What do you use for your drawings?


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## toadflax (Jul 14, 2009)

Yeah, I've got this picture and one other of her, that is it--oh I did draw a quick head portrait of my cat once, too. And I think my critters are all lovely, I dunno what the deal is.
For this drawing and all my more realistic drawings I use a mechanical pencil on plate finish Bristol, with a little help from wooden pencils for the darks. For the looser pictures I use regular drawing paper and a range of pencils from 7H through 4B, and keep a really good point on them. Also use a kneaded eraser to pick out highlights.


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## toadflax (Jul 14, 2009)

Here's the original photo just for comparison:
Notice how I cheated and gave her a nicer neck?


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## Equusketch (Jun 16, 2009)

ooh, any tips on drawing on Bristol paper? How do you like it? I just bought an 11 x 14 bristol paper pad, but have only ever used regular sketch paper. I am going to do a drawing of a mastiff for an auction that a mastiff rescue is holding and I am getting nervous to try something new. I also bought one of those erasers that you can mold. I have always just used a #2 pencil eraser. Ooh and one of those blending tip thingies. I have always used Q-tips, but as you can see in my drawings, I lose alot of definition in my drawings when I blend, so I bought those blending tips in hopes of refining such things as eyes, nostrils, veins, etc. 

I've been meaning to pick your brain for a while now because I just envy your work. How long did this particular piece take you to finish, if you don't mind me asking? Ok, no more questions I promise.


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## toadflax (Jul 14, 2009)

Heheh, I don't mind questions Liz, I like talking art and how many people can you discuss erasers with?
I think you will like the Bristol, it takes the pencil so much more smoothly, you aren't dealing with paper texture at all. Sure sometimes that texture adds a nice arty look but when you're working tight it makes the job easier. The pencil just sort of glides over the paper, very nice. You'll get it in the first 5 minutes I bet.

I use kneaded erasers exclusively, and they are great, especially for highlighting, but be careful not to overwork an area or it will start to deteriorate the paper, though Bristol tolerates more. You can either remove whole areas of pencil or use them to just lift off a layer, you can even use them to draw negative. But they also do leave a sort of grit that affects how your next layer of pencil goes down, not good, sort of like a regular eraser but harder to see so it may surprise you. I brush it off very gently with a small soft artist's brush.

I don't use any blending tools, but I know the artist stumps as they are called are used by lots of high-end artists, I imagine they would be a good tool to have, you can even sharpen them I believe.

That drawing probably took 40 hours but it shouldn't have, my tighter drawings seem to take forever. I work slow and rework more than I should, am trying to speed up and be a little more correct with my lines the first time.

Can't wait to see your mastiff, what a challenge. You'll do it beautifully I know.

You so don't need to envy my work, you do beautiful work already and it keeps looking better and better every drawing you post.


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