Artist Statement

         For the Maine Junior Duck Stamp competition, we began by choosing a duck from a list of North American species that we would create a scientific drawing of.  The guidelines and basic criteria of this project included a 9x12 inch horizontal paper with no borders, and a final piece that is clear, detailed, and showcases some important elements and principles of design.  I decided to choose a Northern Pintail Duck. To make my drawing as detailed and accurate as possible, I used a variety of other images for reference, including a few images my uncle had captured himself and shared with me.  For an alternate background, I decided to add simple water ripples and a slight reflection as to not distract from the duck too much.  

         For materials, our entries could be multi-color, black and white, or a single color, and could be drawn in ink, pencil, paint, pastel, crayon, charcoal, or even scratchboard. I began my project with thick 9x12 watercolor paper, and then went in pencil to create an outline before coloring. Afterward, I went in with an assortment of browns, yellows, greens, blues, and black colored pencils. 

           I went through a few different processes while creating my artwork. Using colored pencil is something I have only expirimented with a few times, and I chose this material so I could incorporate precise details, lines, and shapes which would ultimately help to add texture to the feathers of the ducks. I had to become comfortable with layering the pencil in certain areas to make it look more vibrant. One of the most challenging processes I went through was getting the proportions right. I have had some experience with drawing birds and animals, and feel one of my strong suits in art is the ability to draw what I see accurately. However, I found making the heads and faces difficult.