Hello!  In creating my latest class "Birds in Bowties" I sketched a number of characters, testing out accessories and seeing how they made me feel about the personality of each bird.  Here are a few photos of what I got up to:

I started with a large sheet of paper, which I find helps my brain spread out and brainstorm.  I first thought of categories of things - like bags, hobbies, neckties - and then tried to draw a few variations in each.  Then I took a few of the accessories I had drawn and tried them out on a few birdies.

Above you can see early versions of Bobbin the Robin and Skooby the Blue Footed Booby.  Final Skooby kept the drum as you'll see below, but their position changed a little.

Cheek is a Chaffinch - or at least they came from a reference of a Chaffinch and then went on a slight tangent!  I gave Cheek binoculars and leg warmers...because, why not?  I didn't think too deeply about this one, but it was a fun warm-up.

Tattle is a Tern, and I really enjoyed the squawking nature of their pose on the reference.  It made me think they had something to shout about.  So, I added in a newspaper under the wing, a scarf and rollerskates - I like to picture Tattle whizzing around the neighbourhood, letting everyone know exactly what's going on in the world!

Skooby is a Blue-Footed Booby (one of the best-named birds) and is probably my favourite sketch of the bunch.  I gave them a Drum, and a loose tie.  I imagine Skooby has just finished work and has rushed straight to drum-marching practise, which is the highlight of their day.

Oh hang on, Pinch the Finch may be tied for favourite with Skooby!  This felt pretty random as I was drawing it, but something about the position of the goldfinch reference made me think something could sit on their back.  So I plonked an old TV on it.  Who knows why - it was a whim but one I really enjoyed!  I imagine Pinch got lumbered with a few rubbish jobs during their nest-move, and hulking the old TV along was one of them.

Flow is a Sparrow, and I didn't spend too long on this one.  I was mostly testing out colours, and testing out what a flying bird might be able to hold.  I went with a bunch of flowers, and put a cape on them too.  I had a vague feeling Flow might be a magician, on their way to a gig.

Lastly, there is Omni the Barn Owl, who I kept simple because it was the first one I did.  Omni has the classic bowtie and top hat and I went with a mournful type of expression.

 

I had fun sketching these, and making them all different colours tapped into a bit of rainbow jollity!  They are random, but I like 'em!