Gopher Snake

We just returned from a visit to family in Arkansas and Louisiana.  I took my sketch book with me as I usually do.  I don’t get as much art time as I like so I grab it when I can.  I had the brilliant idea that I could draw on the plane.  I worked on one pen and ink, that has been a WIP, on the way there.  The ride was pretty smooth and I will post that picture in the future.

The return trip was a little different.  We had a four-hour leg from Houston to Sacramento.  I decided to challenge myself to complete this snake picture during the flight.  After subtracting the takeoff and landing and a couple visits from the drink cart, no adult beverages were involved, I really had less than three hours.  I had no help from the pilots, whom I am sure sought out as much extra turbulence as they could.  The line work is a bit spastic, but I hope it communicates snake.  Despite the turbulence and sitting in the middle of a three seat row in economy between Mary, small, and some 7’5″ guy on my right, yes I’m right-handed,  I managed to finish it.  It is a good thing for me that snakes don’t have any straight lines!

My model!

I photographed this little gopher snake late this Summer.  It was my “Snake On The Plane.”  Mary thought I should have titled this post “Snake, Rattle and Roll!”  Great title, if it had been a rattlesnake I would have used it.