Studio Tuesday Blog

I recently finished this watercolor, inspired by this year's snowy owl irruption (when snowy owls come south from the Arctic in large numbers). During irruptions they can be seen a lot further south than they normally appear, and often turn up on beaches, farms, and airports. Here in Maryland I've been able to watch 2 snowy owls near the Chesapeake Bay where I live.I painted this Snowy Owl resting in the dunes of the beach, with shells, grasses, and a view of the ocean behind the dunes. I've been experimenting a bit with my illustration process by not using ink (or limiting it). Pretty happy with how this look turned out.  Detail: a scattering of shells washed up in the tide: clams, moon snails, whelks, razor clams, scallops, mussels, and a skate case.This is the owl that inspired the painting. I've been watching this snowy owl for the last couple of weeks out on a nearby farm here in Maryland. The dark barring, which I borrowed for my painting, is typical of a first year owl - which are usually the ones that travel south in irruption years. This photo is from when I first found her, on a favorite perch on top of a short pump house. She seemed more feline than bird to me, like a cat sitting on a roof. Feigned indifference, casual looks around and soft slow blinks with half closed eyes.March 7, 2018 Update:Lucky to have 2 snowy owls within 10 minutes of my house! This one has been roosting in a nearby marina and I finally got some shots last evening. It starts to get active at dusk and often sits on the boats and masts, getting ready to hunt for the night.Prints are available in the shop:https://www.studiotuesday.com/collections/new-in-the-shop/products/snowy-owl-beach-print-watercolor-art-print

Living in the Arctic Polar bears live on the ice covered seas of the Arctic and are specially adapted to survive in the extreme conditions there. Winter temperatures can drop to -50 F! They have a lot of interesting features that help them thrive in this harsh wilderness of ice. Thick layer of insulating fat - keeps polar bears warm, especially in the Arctic waters Black skin (it is an incorrect myth that polar bears use their black skin to absorb sunlight and stay warm) Two layers of fur specially adapted for Arctic winters Fur is colorless, translucent, and hollow. The hairs reflect light which makes the fur appear white, camouflaging it in the snow. Oily, water repellent fur coat   Polar bears are very large! On all fours they are about 7 or 8 feet long. Males are larger than females.  Male Polar bears stand about 10 feet tall on their hind legs Males weigh up to 1500 pounds, sometimes more. Females usually weigh up to 650 pounds. Small round ears, low on the head, help reduce heat loss Inside of ears are lined with fur Excellent sense of smell - can smell prey and food several miles away Good eyesight, adapted for the extremes of the Arctic Polar Bears have an extra set of eyelids to filter bright snow glare, good night vision to hunt in the long dark hours of the Arctic winters, and good underwater vision. Large flat paws act as snowshoes and help distribute weight on ice and snow Rough paw pad texture helps keep traction on ice Strong claws (almost 2 inches long). Used to catch prey and added traction on ice Slightly webbed paws aid in swimming Polar Bear Plunge   Polar bears are excellent swimmers. With powerful arms and shoulders and a streamlined shape they can swim great distances and are quite at home in the water. Uses its front arms to paddle and back legs to steer An extra set of protective, clear eyelids (called nictitating membranes) help polar bears see well underwater - like a pair of goggles! Ear canals and nostrils close while diving and swimming underwater Longest recorded polar bear swim: 426 miles (687 kilometers)A female bear swam for 9 days straight and lost 22% of her body weight (the long swim was made because of melting sea ice)   Polar Bear Cubs Polar bear cubs are born in the Winter months, November through January. They are born in snow dens. The mother digs the den in October and then hibernates. Often two cubs are born, but the size of a litter can range from 1 to 3 cubs. Polar bear cubs weigh around 1 pound at birth. Cubs and mother emerge from their den in the Spring. The cubs stay with their mother about 2 years, sometimes into a third year, while she teaches them how to hunt, swim, dig, find shelter, and all the other important skills necessary to survive.   Hunting and Eating Polar bears are so protected from the cold that they can easily overheat. It takes a lot of energy for them to move fast so they usually amble along in a distinctive, easy pace. They can sprint up to 40 mph for short periods of time.They prefer to ambush their prey from a still position, which is most often seals. They commonly hunt for seals by waiting by breathing holes in the sea ice.Polar bears of the most carnivorous of the bears. They mostly rely on seal blubber. They also eat kelp, grasses, belugas, walruses, carrion (such as beached whales), lemmings, eggs, and will scavenge for garbage if nearby towns.Unlike other bears, polar bears do not hibernate - they hunt year round (with the exception of pregnant females).SourcesAlaska Wilderness LeagueNorth American Bear CenterPolar Bears InternationalNational Wildlife FederationNational Geographic NewsGreat Bear Almanac by Gary BrownRead More Illustrated Animal FactsPolar Bear art prints and cards in the shopSave Save

Another new card for the 2016 holiday and Christmas season! I added to my collection of Northern Lights cards - this one with a polar bear on the tundra. Happy with how the aurora lights in this one turned out. Its fun to experiment with new shapes and ways to depict it, but it's not the easiest thing to paint. This took a lot of layers to build up the color and luminosity, probably about 10 to 15 layers of watercolor in the sky. Cards are available as singles and boxes of 10. Printed on sturdy card stock. A blank inside for your message - a whimsical animal Christmas card or note card for other occasions.Save Save