It's a very prehistoric Easter
Hey there! I've been trying to make time for a little more arty activity lately-- much easier to do in Sydney, possibly due to the glorious proliferation of life-drawing nights. In the interest of getting back in the habit of watercolor species portraits, have some soldierfish:
I love the expression of CONSTANT HORROR on these fish. I mean, all actinopts kind of have that, but especially the holocentrids.
Also: a recent visit from beloved Berkeley labmate Steve and his lovely family. Steve's kids have been my primary excuse to draw, watercolor, face-paint, make puzzles, and concoct extravagant kid jewelry for the last... seven? years, a service for which I remain profoundly grateful. This year's totally inappropriate craft activity: EASTER EGGS.
I got it into my head that we should make a mobile to go over the changing table, for Imminent Offspring to focus his tiny eyes on, once he develops that ability. Obviously, the best thing to make this out of would be: eggshells, right? Maybe some nice sharp twigs in there, too.
I usually bust out the pysanky kit for this kind of thing, but since we had two smallish kids I decided to forgo the open flame and try good ol' paint pens instead. I've never seen this particular brand outside Australia, but they're GREAT.
Fuel for egg-decorating: EASTER DINOSAURS. (For your nerd sugar cookie needs, I highly recommend this dough plus this icing.)
EGG TIME.
Rainbows!
Spotty.
Steve's electric underground face egg.
Nuestra... huevo? de Guadalupe
Dino egg, to match the cookies.
Dino egg, obverse.
After the egg-decorating madness (you can see some of the girls' eggs on the eggtree, above), we calmed down and did some watercolors. Mine: some thermal vents and deep-sea fauna, including the elusive anglermaid (click for the whole majestic scene).
Tonight is the first Dr. Sketchy's I'll have been to since leaving SF-- looking forward to seeing how they do it down undah, presumably the dancers start out in pasties then put all their clothes back on, due to the Coriolis effect.
I love the expression of CONSTANT HORROR on these fish. I mean, all actinopts kind of have that, but especially the holocentrids.
Also: a recent visit from beloved Berkeley labmate Steve and his lovely family. Steve's kids have been my primary excuse to draw, watercolor, face-paint, make puzzles, and concoct extravagant kid jewelry for the last... seven? years, a service for which I remain profoundly grateful. This year's totally inappropriate craft activity: EASTER EGGS.
I got it into my head that we should make a mobile to go over the changing table, for Imminent Offspring to focus his tiny eyes on, once he develops that ability. Obviously, the best thing to make this out of would be: eggshells, right? Maybe some nice sharp twigs in there, too.
I usually bust out the pysanky kit for this kind of thing, but since we had two smallish kids I decided to forgo the open flame and try good ol' paint pens instead. I've never seen this particular brand outside Australia, but they're GREAT.
Fuel for egg-decorating: EASTER DINOSAURS. (For your nerd sugar cookie needs, I highly recommend this dough plus this icing.)
EGG TIME.
Rainbows!
Spotty.
Steve's electric underground face egg.
Nuestra... huevo? de Guadalupe
Dino egg, to match the cookies.
Dino egg, obverse.
After the egg-decorating madness (you can see some of the girls' eggs on the eggtree, above), we calmed down and did some watercolors. Mine: some thermal vents and deep-sea fauna, including the elusive anglermaid (click for the whole majestic scene).
Tonight is the first Dr. Sketchy's I'll have been to since leaving SF-- looking forward to seeing how they do it down undah, presumably the dancers start out in pasties then put all their clothes back on, due to the Coriolis effect.