The California Tiger Salamander(ambytoma californiense) piece is finished! It feels like I drew every blade of grass- because I did!
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 Continuing to work on the grass for the California Tiger Salamander(ambytoma californiense) piece, but I have also been refining some details on the salamander itself. A bit tricky to keep the flow of movement with all the movement in this image.
 Adding another layer of grass to the California Tiger Salamander(ambystoma californiense) piece, switching back and forth between the 003 and 005 Pigma Micron pens to create varying tonal shades of gray.
 Today I was able to finish one of the back legs. I also took the time on my morning walk to pick up some oak leaves with wonderful little insect nibbles in evidence to add into the grass structure.
 I have finished working on the structure of the costal folds and grooves along both sides of the muscular body of the California Tiger Salamander(ambystoma californiense), though it will take a few more passes with the pen to blend them into the spinal column. There is also quite a bit more skin texture to add to the back and shoulder areas before I start in on the tail.
 I have been working on the push and pull feel to the movement of the California Tiger Salamander(ambystoma californiense) front feet today, trying to express the animals propulsion through the grass and the beautiful mechanics to their stride. I have a feeling I will be seeing dots in my sleep before this piece is done!
This grand little fellow is a California Tiger Salamander(ambystoma californiense) that I had started some time ago, during an opportunity I had to do field-work with a local biologist and friend. I garnered plenty of time to develop field sketches, allowing for me to design this image later in studio. I have struggled a bit with the structure of the grass, wanting it to enhance the movement of the salamander, but not quite sure how I was going to render it. Recently I discovered another way to modify my pen's tip, creating a broader range of thickness to the line-work and more variable tones to the ink, that appear to be suitable for the feel I am trying to convey. Not sure I would call this a breakthrough moment, but it certainly is progress! ;-)
I have finally completed inking this piece of a female Allen's hummingbird(selasphorus sasin) and Flowering Currant(ribes sanguineum). My intention had been to switch to line-work for the branching structure and flowers, but I changed my mind and continued on in stippling- not sure why it just felt right! I will now be adding translucent watercolour, which will intensify the detail of the ink and allow for subtle changes of light in the texture of the leaves. Since you folks seemed to enjoy the last little video of the inking process I will make another of me painting a bit.
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