A hint of immense restraint

This bird portrait started with a visit to the West Sound Wildlife Shelter, here on the Island. The Shelter serves as the principal wildlife rehabilitation center for our county and is a premier rehab and education facility.

First stop was a show and tell — introducing us to their permanent wildlife ambassadors. We met Echo the western screech owl, Mariah the red-tailed hawk, Oakley the barred owl and Scout the peregrine falcon. The visit included a quiet walk around the grounds to appreciate the special flight cage and the individual rehab shelters tucked in the woods. We observed from a distance so as not to disturb the injured and orphaned animals recovering there.

Drawing on the spot obliges me to look intensely and sketch quickly. I catch what I can. Definitely not worrying about composition.

Using vine charcoal, rather than pencil or ink, for this. Yes it’s messy, but vine charcoal is marvelously smooth and quick to adjust. Light exploratory lines. Shapes filled in with just a smudge. Or a swipe on with the side of the stick, and a swipe off with a finger. The resulting drawings live in the mid-tone range, as vine charcoal doesn’t go dark-dark.

Back at home, the drawings spread out on the dining room table. Now, what do I see?

Interesting silhouettes, specific gestures and characteristics of my subjects? I notice the angled eyes and the stretch of Mariah’s neck — defining elements of this red-tailed hawk. And Scout’s eye — large and alert — perfectly reflecting the peregrine falcon’s natural aggressiveness, a trait that goes with being at the top of his food chain.

On our visit, Scout had appeared serene as he perched on his handler’s leather glove. His gaze, however, bore a hint of immense restraint, creating the impression that his natural proclivities might discharge at any moment.

That's it. I decide to do a portrait of Scout.

Animal portraits excite me. There's so much that's going to happen with mood from the mark making, the finish and the tools that I choose. Charcoal powder let me tap into Scout’s restrained intensity with my own.

P.S. Peregrine means “wanderer” or “coming from foreign parts,” a nod to the long migrations of our falcon. I relate to that.

Shout out to the wonderful Bainbridge Island Urban Sketchers group who arranged the outing. Besides sketching, I was also able to snap a few photos on our visit, which served as reference.