Studio Tuesday Blog

This is my take on the classic illustrated whale poster. A selection of whales and other small cetaceans drawn in my simplified illustration style. Labeled with common names in handwritten text. Included in this chart are the fin whale, narwhal, killer whale, humpback whale, bottlenose dolphin, bowhead whale, beluga whale, minke whale, blue whale, gray whale, and right whale. Which is your favorite? I especially had fun with the gray whale and its mottled coloring. Humpbacks are always fun to draw too with their big flippers and ribbed bellies.A fun whale print for the little animal lover's room or a whimsical addition to an ocean inspired nursery! Prints available in 8x10", 11x14" and 16x20". Buy Whales Illustrated Chart - Kids Room Art Print

This is an illustration i drew in 2012 of the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay. This is one of my personal favorites. Probably because I have a soft spot for the Bay from growing up and living in Maryland. But I also had a lot of fun drawing the angles and odd architecture. This is a screwpile lighthouse and is one of several that were built in the Chesapeake.The scene also includes a low summer sun, sailboats in the distant water, and just a few of the animals found in the bay - gulls, jellyfish and of course a blue crab. Soft teal and purplish hues contrast with the scarlet roof of the lighthouse.Above, an 11x14" framed print. I had this one hanging in my boy's nursery for a while. I like a thin black frame for this one because it complements the black inked lines. White frames always look good as well for a bright, clean look.Prints in various sizes are available in the shop here:Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse Print

Just restocked the shop with some fun magnet sets! I have a few different sets that include birds, whales, arctic animals, owls, and puffins! Top image is my coastal birds set (terns, sandpipers, pelicans, and puffins). A set of arctic animals - polar bear, arctic fox, snowy owl, and weasel. I collaborate with iPop to make these magnets featuring my illustrations. We select artwork for various themes - each set contains 4 little round magnets (1 inch) and comes in a handsome clear case.  Arctic whales magnet set, which include belugas, narwhals, an orca, and a whale tail.The magnets are super strong and great for hanging things on the fridge! They make a satisfying loud click as they snap to surfaces - hence the name magnet clicks! A cute Owls Magnet Set featuring illustrations from my 100 owls project. The magnets are topped with a glass dome, which you can see a bit better in this shot. A colorful Ocean Animals Magnet Set - shark and pilot fish, anemones, sea turtle, and leafy sea dragon. And finally a Puffin Magnet Set You can view and buy the sets from the Magnet section of my shop. Stay tuned for more!

Narwhal Basics Narwhals are a type of whale, most closely related to belugas. They live in the Arctic by the ice cap and sea ice, and are one of the few whale species that live year round there. You are probably already aware of their unique feature, a single spiraled tusk that sticks out of the front of their head (like a unicorn!). Narwhals are a bit of a mystery to us - they spend most of their time under sea ice, making them a little hard to study and observe.Below are some fun narwhal facts (for kids or you kids at heart!) illustrated with some of my drawings and doodles.Top image: 3 narwhals swimming under sea ice in the Arctic. Watercolor and India Ink. What's in a name? The word Narwhal has its origins in Old Norse and Scandinavian languages. The Old Norse word nāhvalr is translated as corpse whale, named because the coloring of narwhals reminded sailors of a drowned body. Creepy!The Inuit word for Narwhal is a little more poetic; Qilalugaq gernertaq is translated as “the one point to the sky". Named for the behavior of pointing their tusks towards the sky as they come up for air at holes in the polar ice pack.Their scientific name, Monodon monceros, is Greek in origin. It means one-tooth one-horn (unicorn). Fun Narwhal facts Narwhals change colors as they age. Babies are a blueish grey. Juveniles are a darker blueish black. As they become adults their skin changes to a blotchy gray. As they age they become lighter and older narwhals are almost completely white.Narwhals can live to around 50 years old.Narwhals live in pods, usually a group of 20 or less narwhals. However during summer migration these pods come together and form "super pods" which can contain hundreds or even over a thousand narwhals.Narwhals eat shrimp, squid, and fish such as halibut and cod.Narwhals are very vocal, they communicate with clicks, squeals, and other noises - similar to dolphins. The Narwhal's "Horn" The Narwhal's tusk is actually a tooth that grows out of the jaw and through the upper lip. It grows in a spiral and can reach almost 9 feet.Male narwhals have tusks. The occasional female will have a tusk, but most don't.Occasionally a male narwhal will have 2 tusks.Whats are the narwhal's tusk for? It's a bit of a mystery, but it is probably used to attract mates and possibly to sometimes to fight over mates. The tusk also contains nerve endings which can help the narwhal sense things about its surroundings. The narwhal's tusk probably has multiple purposes.Sources: World Wildlife Fund, WWF Canada, Encyclopedia of Life, National Marine Mammal Labratory - NOAA, Encyclopedia Britannica, The American Society of Mammalogists, Merriam-WebsterRead More Illustrated Animal Facts -------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the Shop

Another illustration for my dinosaur series. This one is a Triceratops in a rocky landscape scene with a red sun, sparse conifers and a couple flying Pterosaurs in the distant sky.

Several months ago Melissa from the Fawn Over Baby blog wrote about her baby boy's new Alaskan inspired nursery. Take a look! It's quite a handsome little room and I'm flattered to have a piece of artwork included. I created a custom vertical version of my Arctic alphabet print for her (now available as a print option in my shop). Below are a couple pictures of the nursery and framed print.My Arctic alphabet print, in the vertical format, 11x14". Photo by Fawn Over BabyAnother photo of her Alaskan nursery. Photo by Fawn Over Baby You can find 11x14" and 13x19" prints of my Arctic alphabet in my shop here: Illustrated Arctic Alphabet Print I'm building up a pretty good collection of Arctic animal illustrations as well. Orcas, narwhals, polar bears, foxes, snowy owls, weasels and more! I love drawing snow and ice so it's one of my favorite habitats to illustrate. Check them all out in my Arctic collection.