DRAW AN OTTER

 DRAW AN OTTER

I like how otters have pockets. How clever is that? They can keep their tools and knick knacks and lucky rocks and frog figurine collection handy and I just bet it sparks joy.
When it comes to pants and coats and sweaters and clothes and otters: I mean if IT doesn’t have pockets…don’t even talk to me.
Why are pockets sewn shut sometimes? Why are pockets sometimes made only one inch deep? so that you are constantly thinking you have a pocket, but actually a one inch pocket is worse than no pocket at all?
All I want is pockets that are big enough that I could put a toddler in one and a yorkshire terrier in the other.

Otters are the hairiest animal.
There has to be a hairiest animal on earth, and it turns out that that animal is the sea otter.

Paul McCartney likes pockets, not in a weird way, he just does. I read that somewhere.

Otter than that I don’t know anything about otters.

this otter is for @forlizzle

#otters
#ottersofinstagram
#seaotters
#howtodraw
#drawinglesson
#drawinglessons
#paulmccartney
#pockets
@simonkids

DRAW A GIRAFFE

 DRAW A GIRAFFE

Time for a lesson:
If you have any graph paper please use it today.

It won’t really help you draw better, but wouldn’t you rather graph a giraffe?
A graphic giraffe graph?
At the park with the Giraffes?
The Giraffe-ic Park?

These are the things I think about mostly, if you wanted to know.

@kim.edwards.paint
#giraffe
#howtodrawagiraffe
#giraffedrawing
#howtodraw
#howto
#how
#amyjunebates
#quarantineart
#drawinglesson
#drawinglessons
#giraffesofinstagram
@simonkids

DRAW A BUNNY

 DRAW A BUNNY

Here is bunny since it is almost the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox.

Show me a picture of your bunny! Has it laid any eggs yet?
#howtodrawbunnies
#rabbit
#bunny
#howtodraw
#amyjunebates
#easterbunny
#howtodraweasterbunny
@simonkids
@bbullett12

DRAW A PUFFER FISH

 DRAW A PUFFER FISH

I like puffer fish.
I identify with them.
They know that there are sharks and awful squidgy things lurking in the dark waters, and they know that they will never in a million years be able to outrun those things. SO they adapted their abject terror as their biggest defense. its beautiful.

One time I was standing on a bridge in Japan, the bridge was over a small stream that emptied out into the ocean. In the shadow of the bridge there were probably 10 puffer fish holding steady in the light current. hanging out in the shade with their wee little smiley faces.
I mention it because it is a very peaceful memory,
and we were supposed to go back to Japan this summer.

What level of puffer fish are you today? Hangin in the shade? Or full spikes out?

Always show me what you draw. I love it to death.
What is your favorite animal?
#pufferfish
#defensivetactics
#howtodraw
#howtodrawapufferfish
#balloonfish
#blowfish
#fugu

DRAW A KOALA

 DRAW A KOALA

When I make these animal-drawing-how-to-draw-animal-things, what I am doing is breaking down something hard and complex into its basic fundamental shapes.
Maybe you don’t know what to do with life right now, but that is a pretty big deal. Try breaking it down into smaller parts like, change your socks, its probably been a few days. Maybe brush your teeth, or change your pajamas for a different pair of pajamas. Just don’t make it too hard. Eat an orange.

#koala
#drawakoala
#amyjunebates
#quarantineart
#howtodrawakoala
@simonkids

Draw a Bird

Instructions are a funny thing.

Recipes 

Spells

Magic words

Do this and you will be ok. I personally have a hard time obeying just anyone, however the right set of instructions are incredibly comforting.  

So, here I have a favorite list of instructions that I have absolute faith in. They come from a story that I like called “The singing soaring Lark,” and it is by the Brothers Grimm.

The words are what the North Wind tells a girl who is looking for a lost white dove, who is really a lion, who is really a prince.

The night wind then said to her, 

“I will advise thee;

go to the Red Sea, 

on the right bank are some tall reeds, count them, 

break off the eleventh, and strike the dragon with it, 

then the lion will be able to subdue it, and both then will regain their human form. 

After that, look round and thou wilt see the griffin which is by the Red Sea; 

swing thyself, with thy beloved, on to his back, and the bird will carry you over the sea to your own home. 

Here is a nut for thee, when thou are above the center of the sea, let the nut fall, 

it will immediately shoot up, and a tall nut-tree will grow out of the water on which the griffin may rest;

for if he cannot rest, he will not be strong enough to carry you across, 

and if thou forgettest to throw down the nut, he will let you fall into the sea."

I trust the North WInd.

For now, Stay safe, friendly but far, the North Wind says so.

Draw DD and Winston

Everyone is missing somebody. Even Rosebud is missing some friends. I know this because we saw her doggy friends from a distance the other day and she gave a miniscule little almost imperceptible tail wag, which for her means “I like you.” DD and Winston were much more demonstrative, from a distance.

So these are her friends DD and Winston. I like them because they are lovely and also they are almost each others opposite. Where one is short, the other is tall, where one is a mop of hair the other has very tidy short hairs. 

Aren’t dogs wonderful.

I miss all the dogs.

Aren’t dogs better than people?

If I could have a canyon and fill it with dogs and a cabin, I would. I would do that. I would grow old and reclusive and legendary as the old lady with the dogs who lives in the canyon. On full moon nights you would hear me howling.

I have built a fortress of sanity in my attic.

Can you draw your dog? Please show me! Always show me your drawings. I love them. Every single one.