Here’s a good example of why my studio is like an optical illusion sometimes…

I was doing a painting of a couple souvenirs I bought at the Nature Museum (yes, I’m still talking about it), and I was about to go make some coffee or something when I realised what I had sitting on my desk.

The painting is pretty unfinished at the time of the photo, but REST ASSURED I finished the heck out of it a little while later.

At least it’s not a painting of a painting. Those really confuse me sometimes when I’m doing other stuff.

Now the FOSSIL in the painting is of Knightia Eocaena, a quite common specimen from the Green River Formation in Kemmerer, Wyoming. Why is this so cool?? Well, for starters it’s a fossil, but if for some reason that isn’t enough, the Green River Formation is one of the most unique fossil sites in the world. It was essentially an entire ecosystem that was fossilized, and therefore one of the most complete pictures of an extinct ecosystem we have. Everything from insects to plant life (quite rare otherwise) to these little fish were all preserved. And apparently since it’s such a rich site, there’s a profusion of these fossils, which I guess is why I was able to purchase one for $20. Quite a steal, if you ask me.

And it doesn’t stop there! I JUST realised after reading about the fish fossil that the ROM has a small section specifically dedicated to the Green River (”realised” meaning Jessica pointed it out to me). So the next time I’m there, you can bet I’m gonna draw the crap out of it. Learning? Don’t mind if I do.

WHOA-HO! Hello! Man oh man, have I been bottling up some sweeeeeeet stuff to post. Lots of good stuff coming for the next few weeks, THAT is a promise.

Anyhow, gotta start somewhere… My girlfriend, Jessica and I just discovered this CRAAAZY museum in Ottawa, THE CANADIAN MUSEUM OF NATURE! Wow. Wow wow wow. I honestly can’t stress enough how cool this place is. Sorry to say it, but it puts the ROM to shame. Terrible shame. Except maybe in the prehistoric department, in that case the ROM wins and as far as I’ve seen is second only to The Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, which is badass like NO ONE’S business. But back to the museum at hand…

The Nature Museum? I love it. I recommend it (especially if you’re a museum-drawing-kind-of-weirdo, like me, then I know you’d love it). As sad as it is though, nothing has gotten me THAT excited about drawing in a long time… possibly since 2007, when I was in Italy.

So at the Museum I LEARNED that I weigh the equivalent of:

5 Wild Turkeys, or…

42 Ducks, or…

633 Blue Jays, or…

18 623 Red-Throated Hummingbirds.

Which is fascinating if you compare me to each of them… because really, 5 wild turkeys could pretty easily kill me. You know, in a battle royal, Godzilla vs King Kong kind of a deal. 5 of those things, pecking, clawing and flapping? No more Corey.

Also it’s pretty clear that 42 ducks could kill me, too. 5? No chance. 15? I might make it out with both eyes. But 42? I lose.

And 633 blue jays?? They could just wear-me-out-to-death from having to fight off 633 crazed blue jays, one by one. Phew.

And come on, 18 623 hummingbirds? Can you even imagine that headed for you? I could, and it would be TERRIBLE. There is no question in my mind that they could kill me.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to be morbid, or even funny for that matter… I’m just saying that pound for pound, birds are cooler than me.

Here’s some sketches!

I laughed out loud after I drew that kingfisher... look at his head!

A Blue Jay and Stellar's Jay. Jays are so cool!! Look at them! HA!

This was an awesome setup... it's 3 different species of Candian bird of prey, male and female. Hmm? COOL!

This was a lot of fun cause I rounded it out at the ROM the other day because they just happen to have a Great Blue Heron skeleton!

There’s also a Great Blue Heron that lives in Waterloo Park. This should help the next time I try to draw him from afar. MORE NEXT WEEK!!

Here is yet another example of the everyday horror that is the Jackaroon. I found out via a maple sucker wrapper that my cat really likes maple syrup. Is that strange? Maybe not, but that combined with vegan soy cheddar, you have yourself a monster.

This is a pretty old drawing and yet... TIMELESS.

But unfortunately I’m just kinda biding my time with this post (I know, you really shouldn’t admit to that kind of thing, but I’m just cool like that), cause I screwed up a Dracula illustration like nobody’s business.

Seriously, last time one didn’t turn out I made it into a pretty awesome (if I do say so myself) lino print about sushi cravings, but this one… well this one needs to be destroyed like nobody’s business. Maaaan, I thought had that drawing doooooown. Just goes to show the kind of weird things that can go wrong from a sketch to the final version. Today I learned that there is a very thin line between a vampire babe and a transvestite.

I quite literally have to go back to the drawing board on this one, folks.

Oh yeah, and kitty is using his people-feet.

So I was leafing through a Medieval Bestiary the other day, when to my surprise I stumbled across a fantastical creature with a striking resemblance to my cat.

There he goes again, burning the countryside... BAD KITTY!!

…ok, so I wasn’t really surprised at all. It actually just confirmed my suspicions that he is, in fact, the Jackaroon. Note the golden eyes and weeping angels…

But for you, gentle naysayer, I give you not one, but TWO more pieces of evidence as to the existence of this monstrous creature…

Exhibit A, a painting of mine from a few weeks ago seen here. (scrolling down slightly will get you to the same place… just saying)

And Exhibit B from Jessica Palmer’s Foodstuffs blog, where the Jackaroon was caught ON [digital] FILM!! *WARNING* Not for the weak of heart.

The evidence is damning, folks.

Well, I’ll see you next week.

IF you’re a loyal reader you MIGHT have noticed that I didn’t post last week. So to make up for it, I’m gonna post double this week. JEALOUS??

So for starters, a new Pokemon game came out today. Big news? Well, no, not exactly. It’s not even exactly “new” in the strictest sense of the word, being a remake and all… BUT in honour of the little guys whom I loves just so much, here’s a sketch I did a while back of good old fashioned brawl.

I'd imagine they're fighting to the death.

In other nerdly news, the NES turns 25 this year. 1985… how about that?