Forestry Friday … Pacific Fisher

fisher, Pacific fisher, weasel, pen and ink, ink, drawing, mammal

Pacific fisher in pen and ink. Mary and I had a chance meeting with a pair of fishers. That’s when I took the photo that this picture was based on. We watched this fisher as it climbed up and down a Douglas-fir tree while it was hunting.

The Pacific fisher is a large member of the weasel family that makes its home on our California timberland.

pacific fisher

This was a different Pacific fisher that unknowingly visited us. Observing wildlife from a hidden hunting blind is a great way to watch animals in their natural state.

Pacific fisher

The fisher investigates our wildlife camera. Come on little fella just a bit farther. Darn, we didn’t get his picture on the wildlife camera.

The company I work for, Sierra Pacific Industries, has been involved in a fisher relocation project for a number of years. Our partners in the project include US Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and researchers from North Carolina State University. The purpose is to re-establish fisher into parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountains that used to be their historic range. The project has been highly successful. You can read more about the project here at the Fish and Wildlife Service website.

This is a mixed media illustration of a fisher with a radio collar that I did for the children’s book Timber!The pen and ink version appeared in the young reader book Timber In The Working ForestBoth books were written by Mary A Livingston and illustrated by me. You can read her blog at Sneaking Bliss.com.


“Timber! The Home Stretch

TimberPainting02

The view of the art table with one of the spreads in progress.

watercolor, pen and ink, picture book

These were all that’s left to do. All have been started. Mary stretched and mounted them all for me, while I was painting. It’s good to have people! Working multiple illustrations at the same time is a very efficient way to get these done. By Sunday night I had completed two more spreads.

Ducks

This is the view out my window at my painting table, while I work. Not bad.

Forestry Friday … “Timber!” in Color

TimberChipper02

The inking is complete and I’ve been painting furiously. I taken some vacation time to complete this project. Today I was painting the chipper scene. I posted about that one before.

TimberChipper01

I couldn’t decide which picture to post, so here’s another.

Wild Wednesday … Pacific Fisher

Fisher, Pacific fisher, mixed media, pen and ink, watercolor, wildlife, Timber!

The Pacific Fisher in mixed media. Pen and ink, and watercolor. This is a spot illustration for the new children’s picture “Timber!”

Pacific Fisher, pen and ink, Timber!, wildlife

This is the pen and ink before the watercolor. Which version do you like better?

 

Forestry Friday … “Timber!” The Chipper

 Pen and ink from “Timber”, the cleanup part of the logging operation. The chipper chips the tree tops. Straw mulch to cover the bare soil.

forests, forestry, forester artist, biomass, harvesting

Chipping tops.

 

Forestry Friday … New Forestry Picture Book Project!

drawing, pencil,children's book, illustration, forestry

Preliminary sketch of Timber cover art in pencil.

Mary and I are collaborating on a new forestry picture book. We are deeply into the thick of the process. Our original forestry book, Forests, Trees and Woodcame out in 1993. It’s now out of print and this new book will take it’s place, (Red Tail Publishing 2016).

 

The Art Challenge, Day Five … Story Books

 

It’s day five! I was tagged to do the 3 pieces of art a day for 5 days, Art Challenge, by Mark Mitchell. This is the last post. The theme for today is “Story Books”, that I’ve illustrated  I put up illustrations from three different books.

I would love to give everyone a break, so I’m not tagging anybody for the Art Challenge. If you want to do it, then tell me and I’ll tag you!

The books:

Buddy, The Wayward Wolverine

Firestorm in the Forest

Buddy and the Magic Chicken Tree

Let’s Call It A Wrap

Buddy, The Wayward Wolverine, Buddy and the Magic Chicken Tree, watercolor, watercolour, wolverine

Illustrating Buddy wore me out, and Buddy too.

I’m done illustrating Buddy.  Now we wait for the official release.  I think I’m going to take a nap too.

Forestry Friday … The Real Buddy

Buddy and the Magic Chicken Tree is the second installment about Buddy the wolverine.  Here is a sample from the upcoming story.  It is written by author illustrator MaryA Livingston and wildlife biologist Amanda Shufelberger.  It is illustrated by me, Tim Livingston.

Buddy and the Magic Chicken Tree, Buddy the Wayward Wolverine, watercolor, watercolour, children's picture book, wolverine, gulo gulo

Buddy loves his chicken!  Image courtesy of Red Tail Publishing.

Buddy, the Wayward Wolverine, published by Red Tail Publishing in 2013, is a fantastical story of a real wolverine.

Buddy is the subject of Forestry Friday, because he was original discovered during forestry research projects.  One carnivore study run by wildlife biologist Amanda Shufelberger inventories carnivores on private forestland.  The data is used to ensure that proper forest management techniques are implemented to protect and enhance carnivore habitat.

Buddy presence was first discovered in 2008.  His DNA places his roots in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho.  We can only imagine how Buddy got to California – Buddy, the Wayward Wolverine.  These are some of the videos from the wildlife camera taken as part of the carnivore study.