Blog / 2011 / Your Favorite Kind of Animal
July 18, 2011
In May, I did a Kickstarter for my upcoming Series X, and as part of the gifts I promised my backers drawings of thier favorite kind of animal. I’ve finally finished the full series.
![Maine Coon cat drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawCatMaineCoon.jpg)
It’s fascinating how these drawings act as a kind of survey of people’s preferred animals.
![kitten drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawCatTheo.jpg)
Even though it’s not particularly scientific, the results are still interesting.
![cat drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawCatPurple.jpg)
All in all, cats win out.
![cat drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawCatBlack.jpg)
Various versions of the domesticated cat are one of the larger groups.
![bobcat drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawBobcat.jpg)
There was just one bobcat request.
![lion drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawLionTurn.jpg)
But lots of lions.
![lion drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawLionVertical.jpg)
The maned feline was the favorite species.
![lion illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawLion.jpg)
It had three separate requests.
![tiger illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawTigerYellow.jpg)
And the tiger was one of the handful of animals that got two votes.
![tiger illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawTigerBlue.jpg)
I like the expression I managed to capture on this one.
![pug illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawDogPug.jpg)
After cats, dogs were the most popular.
![Australian Kelpie illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawDogAustralianKelpie.jpg)
So many dogs!
![golden retriever illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawDogGolden.jpg)
Felines got ten votes total.
![English Bulldog illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawDogEnglishBulldog.jpg)
Canines received just nine.
![dachshund illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawDogDachshund.jpg)
But the domesticated dog in all its permutations is more popular than house cats.
![Kerry Blue Terrier illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawDogKerryBlue.jpg)
In drawing them, I learned about various breeds.
![brittany spaniel illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawDogBrittany.jpg)
I cheated a little for my mom by doing a portrait of a specific animal, her baby Roo.
![black dog illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawDogBlack.jpg)
Oddly enough, there was a request for a “big black dog” which is shown above as well as one for a “fat black cat”—it’s the one above the bobcat. I guess large monochromatic animals are a thing.
![wolf illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawWolf.jpg)
The arctic wolf was the only wild dog to make the canine cut.
![crow illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawCrow.jpg)
Birds were less popular than I thought they’d be.
![kiwi illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawKiwi.jpg)
And the bird choices surprised me.
![owl illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawOwl.jpg)
Only one owl?
![rooster illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawRooster.jpg)
Same for roosters.
![white duck illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawDuck.jpg)
But there were two ducks.
![mallard duck illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawDuckMallard.jpg)
So I made one a mallard.
![elephant illustration](/images/2011/2011DrawElephant.jpg)
Elephants also got two requests.
![baby elephant colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawElephantBaby.jpg)
I did a baby to change things up a bit.
![giraffe colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawGiraffeRunning.jpg)
There were two giraffes as well.
![giraffe colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawGiraffe.jpg)
And herbivores in general were fairly popular.
![moose colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawMoose.jpg)
Including a moose.
![impala colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawImpala.jpg)
I now know that an impala is a kind of gazelle and that gazelles are small antelope.
![horse colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawHorse.jpg)
I cheated again here by drawing a horse I’d already painted.
![goat colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawGoat.jpg)
The goat’s pupils were interesting to work with.
![Highland Cow colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawCow.jpg)
And I loved the highland cow’s do.
![manatee colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawManatee.jpg)
Underwater creatures proved to be tricky.
![dolphin colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawDolphin.jpg)
The weightlessness is difficult to fathom.
![humu humu nuku nuku apua’a colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawHumuHumuNukuNukuApuaa.jpg)
Animals like this one were a challenge for me. The elaborate coloring felt restrictive somehow since I couldn’t impose my own rainbow!
![snail colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawSnail.jpg)
I loved capturing the quiet vitality of a snail.
![bear colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawBear.jpg)
I’m glad the bear got at least one vote: it was my favorite animal for a long time.
![piglet colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawPiglet.jpg)
And piglets are David’s favorite.
![rabbit colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawRabbitPurple.jpg)
Rabbits got two votes.
![rabbit colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawRabbitGreen.jpg)
That makes sense since 2011 is the year of the rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac.
![squirrel colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawSquirrel.jpg)
All in all, doing these drawings was fascinating and fun.
![groundhog colorful drawing](/images/2011/2011DrawGroundhog.jpg)
Now I’m ready to buckle down to the serious work of Series X!
Maybe this post made you think of something you want to share with me? Or perhaps you have a question about my art? I’d love to hear from you!
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