Species Studies

Carousel Hippopotamus by Pineapple Bilby

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 04:33:13 -0000

I saw some hippos at the zoo a while back. When they swim, they kick off with their back legs and kind of fly through the water. I thought that they look cute doing that, like giant carousel animals. I ended up with this sketch on cream-colored paper that kept going further. I decided not to put the pole going through it because it looks more like it's real than a carving. A larger-than-life oxpecker is hanging on the saddle.

Medium: Watercolor, ink
Tags: bird carousel hippo oxpecker mammal saddle merry-go-round

Javelina Love by Pineapple Bilby

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:20:10 -0000

Two javelinas enjoy some prickly pear paddles on sticks. The she-peccary has a prickly pear flower behind her ear too. I finally found some more of the colored watercolor paper that I bought years ago! This is the blue one, obviously.

Medium: Watercolor
Tags: eating cactus javelina peccary mammal

Twin Emperors by Pineapple Bilby

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:57:47 -0000

Emperor tamarins almost always have twins. The male does most of the caregiving. This father gets a bit of extra help from some baby leashes. One baby is playing with a rainbow scarab while the other contemplates the meaning of life.

Medium: Watercolor
Tags: leash beetle primate twins tamarin

Visit Scenic South Africa by Pineapple Bilby

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:02:17 -0000

A family of bonteboks watching an airplane fly overhead. This was inspired by travel posters of the 20s and 30s, with their limited palettes and flat color.

Medium: Acrylic, gouache
Tags: zulu africa family ungulate airplane bontebok

Aardwolf by Pineapple Bilby

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 02:33:17 -0000

A stylized aardwolf on black paper. I think it got startled on its way to get some more cake.

Medium: Gouache
Tags: stripes aardwolf

Two Cordon Bleus by Pineapple Bilby

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:33:31 -0000

The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu is a cute African finch. After painting one, I decided to throw in a piece of chicken cordon-bleu too. Later I realized that it was a pretty morbid picture, with a hunk of cooked bird next to this little guy. Don't worry, he won't eat it. And it's not made of anyone he knows.

Medium: Gouache
Tags: bird food finch bleu cordon

Fugu Me! by Pineapple Bilby

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:16:56 -0000

A samurai fugu dares you to try to eat him. This is based on Japanese block prints. Title stolen from Homer Simpson.

Medium: Watercolor
Tags: swords Japanese samurai fugu blowfish

The Honeybear by Pineapple Bilby

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:03:39 -0000

A kinkajou floats up a honey tree after reading "Winnie the Pooh".

Medium: Watercolor
Tags: honey Kinkajou bees

Two Thumbs Up! by Pineapple Bilby

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:02:00 -0000

An albino koala approves!

Medium: Watercolor, ink
Tags: marsupial albino koala thumbs