#612 In the studio: Cat reference

The role of reference is to inspire thoughts and give anatomical data and proportions.  I recently completed the sculpture of a Cougar shown at right which I posted on the previous blog.

Each individual animal has different shapes and characteristics that are unique to that species.  My goal is to recognize and capture that individuality and this post compares
the anatomy and proportions of large cats.  

While I've only seen a Cougar in the wild twice and both times in Wyoming from a distance, I recently
spent many hours researching the animal in my library and reference room which is attached to the studio.
Research puts me in the "zone" artistically and when I'm there I accumulate everything I can such as
drawings, photos, notes. books, video, clip file,  taxidermy, skulls . . . anything that that makes me
live, think, see, feel, dream, and understand the animal I'm working on. 

While cats such as Cheetah, Leopard, and Lion have similar anatomy, their proportions, skeleton, and behavior are very different.  For more info and anatomical and skeletal data and comparison . . . see blog #479 posted Nov. 17, 2013 thru #483.  Also refer to blog #496 posted Jan. 15, 2014.  Comparative anatomy is an important research consideration.

www.Blog#479     www.Blog # 496

I am fascinated by the motion, movement, and stealth-like behavior of North America's Cougar.

Cougars are slender, agile, secretive, solitary and considered nocturnal predators . . .
They typically hunt by stalking and ambushing and must feed exclusively on meat to survive.

They are very athletic and can jump, climb, and swim. The Cougar (Felix concolor) holds the Guinness record
for the animal with the highest number of names. It has over 40 names in English alone!  Among them:
Cougar, Mountain Lion, Puma, Panther, Jaguar, Catamount, and the list goes on!

The beautiful Cougar can weigh as much as 300 pounds and can be nine feet long including
the tail which like most cats, is used for balance.  Like all cats, the Cougar's bones are joined together very loosely
which allows extreme flexibility of the spine and scapula.  The scapula is so loosely bound to the ribs that they can push up above the spine when the animal crouches.  Cats, in general, are so supple and flexible that their
front limbs (arms) are capable of almost as many motions as our own.  There are five fingers on either hand though the thumb is smaller and higher up than the others, but on the foot, there is no dewclaw and only four toes.

Below, is the Cougar's skeletal silhouette compared to a house cat.

Much can be learned about large cats by observing your house cat.  Below, is a sculpture entitled "Preening Cat".
 Note the flexible vertebrae of the cat's back . . .  most quadrupeds, including dogs, are more
rigidly constructed and do not have the extreme flexibility of the spine.

Cats have supple and flexible bodies and move with stealth and agility.  Below, are extraordinary examples of cat sculptures by famous artists of the past.  Note the flexible spring-like spine in all works.  The first example is
"Tiger Devouring an Antelope" by Antoine Louis Barye (1796 - 1875).

Below, is "Crouching Tiger"  by Rembrandt Bugatti (1884 -1916).

Below, is an image of  "Reaching Jaguar"  by Anna Hyatt Huntington (1876 -1973) which is in our collection.

Go to the BLOG INDEX on the right for more information.  See posts #616 and 655

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

#496 In the field: Africa . . . conclusion of Part I

Please start this series of posts with #477 

This post and the next, concludes Part I of the Africa series.  I will return with Part II in a few weeks and 
introduce 10 new species.   Part I focused on 10 species:  cheetah, leopard, lion, rhino, secretary bird, ostrich, flamingo, hippo, hoopoe, and elephant.  I currently have 12 block-in sculptures of African subjects in progress 
and as the work is completed and prepared for casting, I will post images.

In conclusion, it may be useful to know how I, as a sculptor, use a camera and interpret the results in the field 
and in the studio.  A sculptor works in a much different way than a painter . . . a painter paints what they see 
and a sculptor sculpts what they know.  While a painter uses light, color, edges, value, perspective, 
and more to create an illusion on a two- diminutional surface, a sculptor creates an actual form of a 
figure that exists in space  Knowledge of structure and anatomy is a must in order to 
build the armature and assemble forms and shapes.  

Below, is a sculpture of a leopard blocked in and in progress.

As I mentioned in the last post, I prepared a sketchbook of various animal skeletons to use  in conjunction with 
the camera equipment while on safari in Tanzania.  The drawings were invaluable while observing 
animal locomotion in the field and while reviewing my digital images.  

While on the photo safari in the Serengeti, we achieved the best results by waiting and watching at watering holes in the morning and evening.  Most animals ignored us in the Land Rover and we were able to get very close to our subjects without stressing them.  Our tent camp was located inside the park so we could stay and photograph until dark.

Below,  is a photo of zebras taken at a Serengeti water hole.

While at Tarangire, our camp - Kikoti Camp - was outside the park and we had to exit by 6 p.m.  
Many great photo opportunities occurred on the drive back to camp.  

Below, are zebras at the watering hole next to Kikoti Camp.

In Tarangire, we left camp for the park at dark in the morning and were constantly on the move.  We encountered animals at almost every turn and were compelled to keep moving in our excitement.  Many times, we would see more than one species together.  

Below, is a typical image from our photo safari in Tanzania. . . several species 
in one area such  as zebra, wildebeest, and African buffalo in the distance.   

As a wildlife sculptor, I go to the field so I can work and I work so I can go to the field.

Below, is a review of several block-ins of work in progress since my return from Africa.
I will continue focusing on "in the field" photography in the next post.

For anatomy reference, go to posts #563, #616, and #655

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish Smith

     

#480 In the field: Africa . . . the big cats: Leopard, part 1

Please start this series of posts with #477

This post and the next, spotlights the LEOPARD . . .
one of three big cats experienced "in the field" on a recent trip to Tanzania, Africa.

Please note, the previous post was about the CHEETAH and after two posts about the LEOPARD, I focus on the LION.

Unlike the Cheetah and Lion, Leopards are known for their ability to climb trees and are routinely seen dragging 

their kill up trees, hanging and securing them on branches, and returning to feed, again and again.      

Below, is a photo of a magnificent Leopard surveying its territory in the Serengeti.

The LEOPARD is smaller than the Cheetah and Lion but due to their massive skull and jaw muscles, 

they are able to take large prey such as impala, Thomsons gazelle, bushbuck,  warthogs, primates, 

and even young giraffe as well as smaller prey such as rodents, birds, and reptiles.  

They silently stalk their prey, pounce, and strangle the throat with strong teeth and jaws or bites 

on the back of their neck and typically, drag them up a tree, safe from other predators, to feed.

Below, are studies of the Leopard from my sketchbook.

Below, while in the Serengeti, we saw this Leopard with a kill in a fig tree.  We watched the cat move the kill to a different branch and after it had eaten its fill, descend and - according to our guide -  probably went to a nearby waterhole.  I'll never forget the profound drama of this encounter with hyenas circling the tree!  We spotted this incident  at a kopjes, which is a rock outcropping on the savannah plains.  Kopjes is the Dutch work for "head." 

Several hyenas were under the tree, waiting for dropped morsels of meat.  Although Lions are occasionally successful in climbing trees and stealing Leopard kills, hyenas can only take a kill away from a Leopard on the ground . . . 

if the cat is unable to move the kill to a tree.

Below, a hyena waits under the fig tree for the leopard to drop morsels of meat. 

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish Smith

#479 In the field: Africa . . . the big cats: Cheetah

Please start this series of posts with #477

Nowhere else in the world can big cats -  the Lion, Leopard, and Cheetah -  be experienced like the Serengeti and Tarangire.   Trish and I had several encounters in the Serengeti, including a dramatic stalk and chase and after we joined our group of artists in Tarangire, we were thrilled with more.  This post will focus on the CHEETAH with the Leopard and Lion to follow.

Below, the early morning sun backlights a pair of beautiful Cheetahs in the Serengeti.

The Cheetah is the fastest of all land animals and has been clocked as fast as 70 to 75 miles per hour.  In short bursts of up to 1500 feet, the animal can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 3 seconds.  Below are photos taken in the Serengeti.

Below, the dark lines that run from the eyes to the mouth are called "tear lines" and help protect the eyes from glare -  similar to a football  player's black marks under their eyes.  The dark lines also assists the cat in focusing on prey.

Below, on our last morning in the Serengeti, we witnessed this Cheetah zeroing in, stalking, and chasing a Thomson's Gazelle.  The animal missed the prey and as Trish continued to photograph,  I forgot about my camera, and simply watched the drama unfold in the distance!   The Cheetah uses its speed to knock down prey from behind, then go for the throat and is successful only about 50% of the time.

Below, at this point, the gazelle is flicking its tail and clueless.

In a sudden burst of speed by both predator and prey, the chase is on!

Below, is a picture of a seemingly out of proportion Cheetah taken in Tarangire after a kill.  The fat cat has eaten its fill and will abandon the leftovers which other animals, such as hyenas and vultures, will clean up.

When I packed my art and reference equipment for the trip, I included many skeleton drawings of  various species . . . the Cheetah, Lion, and Leopard included.  This material was an important aid to my field work . . .  it provided a resource for comparative anatomy and combined with my field guides and the immediacy of digital photography to work from, I was able to observe and record data while it was fresh on my mind.  I found that there was simply too much action to draw from life on my first trip to Africa.

The Cheetah is on my short list of species that I will include in my Africa portfolio of sculpture.  In the field, I look for the most distinctive and prominent features of a specific animal and note what impresses me and affects me most about the particular animal. . . first impressions are paramount for that is what I will try to capture in my sculpture.  Below, the magnificent animal is athletic, has a very narrow waist, and a very deep chest and long legs.

Above and below, the small head, long legs, and the lean, muscular body impressed me.  I was aware of the long tail that helped the animal steer [like a rudder] and maintain balance while running at top speed.  The beautiful cat has a flexible spine that arches and springs back, allowing giant strides.  Seeing the stretching and bunching during the chase in the field, made a lasting impression on me.

I will return to this subject in a future post during the design, modeling, and creation of sculpture depicting the Cheetah. Upcoming posts about various species are the precursor to my African Portfolio.

Next Wednesday's post is about the LEOPARD.

For anatomy reference, see posts #563, #616, and #655.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish Smith

#478 In the field: Africa . . . con't

Please start this series of posts with post #477.

Before meeting the artist group in Arusha and traveling to Tarangire, Trish and I arrived in Africa early and spent a week in Ngorogoro Crater and the Serengeti.  The name Serengeti means 'endless plains' and is derived from the Maasai language.

Below, a cheetah finds shade under an acacia tree in the beautiful Serengeti.

We had an excellent guide - named Bariki - who, like our guides in Tarangire, was extremely knowledgable about animals, plants, ecosystem, history, and every aspect of the African experience.   To my delight, he was an avid birder and could spot, identify, and discuss the many species we encountered.  Simply put:  He was a walking encyclopedia and we learned much from him.

Shown below is our guide, Bariki with Trish.  His tribe is located southeast of the Ngorogoro Crater . . . he spoke excellent English and traveling with him as a private guide was a profound learning experience.

Also pictured, is his favorite bird:  The Lilac-breasted Roller.  More than 500 species of birds have been recorded in the Serengeti . . . some of them Eurasian migrants which are present from October to April.

While in the Serengeti, we stayed in the bush in a tented camp.  The spacious, comfortable tent had a floor, bathroom, shower and exceeded all our safari expectations.  Shown below, is our tent, the interior, and a view of the dining tent from our porch.

We had lion and hyena in camp after dark and the Maasai kept a fire going and patrolled throughout the night.  

I'll never forget the sounds the animals made . . . they will remain with me for the rest of my life. 

A full moon added to the drama, and after the first restless night, 

an unfamiliar peace came over me and I accepted the situation in dreamy, sound sleep.

Below, the evening glow of kerosene lanterns added to the charm and ambiance in camp.

Our routine in the Serengeti began with an early breakfast and a game drive to nearby waterholes to experience the spectacular concentration of plains animals.  We returned to camp every day at noon for lunch as both we and the animals sought shade in the intense heat.  We stayed in camp for about 4 hours before returning to the field until sunset.  Below, a picture of zebras at a water hole and lunch with a welcome cold refreshment at camp.

Africa produces great beer; we enjoyed Safari, Tusker, and Kilimanjaro.

I used the 4-hour downtime during the heat of the day to work with my field guides, and, thanks to the immediacy of digital photography, draw in my sketchbook.  Trish and I each took over 10,000 pictures during our 3 weeks in Africa. The daily game drives were full of action and I did not spend my time sketching in the field with so much activity. 

Below, photographing from the open top of the Land Rover.  

  

We saw lots of different quadruped and bird species but when I think of the Serengeti, I think of the cats:  we saw many lion, leopard, and cheetah.  Although we saw elephants and we were ever mindful of our anti poaching purpose for being in Tanzania, Bariki reminded me that the upcoming trip to Tarangari was the best place to experience elephants.

Below, one of many lion photographs.

More about Africa in next Wednesday's post.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish Smith