The Others #2: Daily Zoo 'non-features'

Here are a few more Daily Zoo sketches that didn't get featured in the book. (If you're just joining us, I started drawing an animal a day on the one-year anniversary of being diagnosed with leukemia. More info on the story and book can be found here and on my website.)

Day 051 - Caiman
First up are sketches done on back-to-back days. On Day 051 I drew a caiman (a small species of crocodilian native to the Americas) experimenting with just slight exaggeration of the snout and brow.



Day 052 - Crocodilians
Upon returning to the subject matter on the following day, I started with a more pushed version of the same caiman in profile and then did a few more sketches playing with different angles and proportions.



Day 159 - Vulture
Next up is the crafty vulture done on Day 159. Vultures seem to have a bit of a bad rap in general society, but I think they're awesome. They do nature's dirty work of cleaning the savannah of decaying corpses and they have quite a unique visual appearance. Their heads have no feathers so when they're burrowing inside a rotting carcass all day, they don't have to spend a wing and a leg on vats of Prell. I find that their bald noggins also give them a cool resemblance to dinosaurs. The tree that he is perched on is dead and thorny to echo his reputation of being associated with death. This sketch wasn't completely fulfilling for me on an artistic level, so I drew another one on the following day. To see that one, however, you'll have to check out The Daily Zoo: Keeping the Doctor at Bay with A Drawing A Day.

The 'Zoo' Goes to the Zoo

About a month ago Dr. Susan Sencer, head of the hematology and oncology programs at the Children's Hospitals of Minneapolis and St. Paul, invited me to participate in their annual party for patients and their families. The event just so happened to be held at the Minnesota Zoo. Very fitting!

I had a great time signing some books and meeting some very courageous kids (and their equally courageous families). It was impressive to see some very sick children still find ways to laugh, smile, and LIVE.
My thanks to Dr. Sencer and Children's Hospital for allowing me to be a part of their celebration.