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Studies of an Asian Elephant Calf named Rozie.
Source: Referenced from photos from the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo.
Studies of Pygmy Hippo calf. To keep the figures loose and lively, I experimented with holding the pencil further back on the base while sketching quickly. (The hippo portrait was drawn with a tighter grip.)
Source: Referenced from Taronga Zoo video.
Studies of North African Cheetah mom and cub. My liveliest results, in regards to observational studies, come from videos, and it’s no surprise why. Photos are great for analyzing proportion and anatomy, but life is constantly in motion, and you miss out on the before-and-after in still frames. Photos also have the tendency to flatten their subject matter. Being able to watch the animal in action offers a greater sense of dimensionality and motion.
Note in these sketches the arching stretch of the cheetah cub, or the cheetah mom’s quick glance to the side by stretching her neck without changing the position of her body. These are actions I was able to see readily by watching the animals change their position.
Source: Whipsnade Zoo video.