Duck Stamp

The idea behind the uck stamp is to get as realistic as possible. The style of art is called scientific illustration and so the idea behind drawing this duck is to really capture every detail of its form and its feathers, so that it looks as much like the real duck as possible. In this kind of work, the small details and markings are essential and you must focus on them in order to make the duck look accurate. 

For this project I used all colored pencils. I have used watercolor as base in the past, but you have to then do it on watercolor paper which doesn't mix very well with a smooth colored pencil layer due to the texture of the paper, so I decided to just go fully with colored pencil. This material allows me to really get small details because I can get the tip of the pencil to be so sharp and precise. I also like using colred pencil for realism because it's very easy to shade things and create depth as well as make strong marks and likes that can show the texture of feathers. I also liked using colored pencil because it's so easy to blend the colors together and get the exact color that is desired.

I started by doing a lot of research about my duck and about it's habitat and habits so that when I drew it, it could be the most accurate representation of its behavior and its setting. I looked up what it eats, where it lives, it's migration patterns. Name of the Chosen Species: red breasted merganser

Habitats in specific seasons: breeding in northern boreal forests and tundra wetlands (fresh/brackish water) in summer, then migrating to coasts, bays, and large inland lakes (salt, brackish, or fresh) for winter

Diet: small fish, but also consume crustaceans, aquatic insects, worms, and amphibians, using their serrated bills to catch slippery prey

Migratory Patterns:Migrates during the day in pairs or small flocks in spring and larger groups (up to thousands) in the fall. Generally does not mix with other species during migration

Feather Changes: males gaining their striking breeding plumage (greenish head, white neck ring, reddish chest, gray flanks) in winter/spring after a major molt (Aug-Nov) from their duller eclipse plumage

Visual Differences between the Male and Female: Male Red-breasted Mergansers have a striking metallic green head, reddish-brown chest (hence the name), gray sides, and a white neck ring, while females are duller grayish-brown overall with a brown, crested head, paler chin, and orange bill

Visual Differences between Adults and Juveniles: juveniles look very similar to females

I then worked on getting the placement of the bird on the paper just right, I wanted to make sure that it didn't look squished but also that it took up most of the page, this is something that I have struggled with a lot in the past. I also decided this year to only include one duck, in the past I have drawn the male and female together or included babies, but I just wanted to focus on the single male duck, and hone in the details on him and his feathers.