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Description

EDIT: updated this after a little tweaking and recolouring - you can see the puppy more easily now
The original image is in my scraps, here: [link]

First, the title comes from a song, featured in Bambi 2 and it seemed kind of appropriate, even though Spring's sort of here

The heat of the sun
Will shine right through
And never a moment comes too soon
As the first sign of spring

Air is getting warmer
By the day
As the thaw begins
So put a corner on this page
The leaves are green again
And cloudy skies
Are lifting away
Right in front of our very eyes
And we will be together
At the first sign of spring....

~ Michelle Lewis

Show: Artistik Arabians Spring Mini-show 2013
Host:
Stable: Lakewood Farm
Horse: Lakewood's Poetry in Motion "Poe"
Handler: Candace Applin
Class: Foal (under 2yrs)
Setting: The common at Lakewood Farm (just by the pond)

Since *ReQuay announced her spring mini show, I sort of got this idea forming in my head. I wasn't sure I'd have the time to get it done, but yesterday (with the bunny eating again, I was able to relax enough to just draw while watching her ). It is a show for Arabians, and with Poe in there, I hope this is acceptable, even though its a bit of a mix of animals.

My reasoning for this was that to me, Spring is about birth and new life but for some odd reason, I also think of it being the beginning of new bonds and familial relationships (like mothers and offspring) while I think of summer as the strengthening and growth of those bonds. So all the animals are babies, for that new life, the ducklings, and the story behind them represent new beginnings and all of them together represent the new relationships. I have no idea if that makes sense outside of my brain XD.

Also, these aren't just for the show. Lakewood is getting ducks. Nine of them, to be precise.

Like the goats, chickens and alpaca, they'll quietly exist in the background, but as Lakewood grows in my mind, I just feel like bringing back more elements that really make it a farm. We may get a bad-tempered goose next XD.

I know there's no story requirement, but I've been a bit AWOL lately, and I want to introduce the ducks, so have one anyway

"They're here! They're here, they're here!" Chess raced down the barn and slid to a stop just before barrelling into the sunken couch at the back of the Den. Becca was leaning over the desk, firmly trying to push Misfit backwards out of the open window he'd climbed half into and Alec was cleaning Kiwi's bridle from a hanging hook. They both looked up at her with varying expressions of confusion.

"What's here?" Becca asked, giving another shove and Making the patched Goat stumble. He went sailing backwards into his pen with an indignant bleat and flailing limbs. Becca hauled the window closed. "Because if its martians then I'm sorry but it's just too busy; they'll have to get back in their ship and come next week."

Alec sniggered. Chess stuck her tongue out.

"Not martians," she said. "They won't come here after what we did last time we saw a UFO. No, the ducklings."

Both Alec and Becca froze, then shared a look, then turned slowly back to her.

"Ducklings?" Alec asked.

"Explain," Becca said.

Chess frowned. "Austin didn't tell you?"

There was another shared look.

"No," Becca said slowly, like talking to a small child.

Chess sighed. "Some hunters came through the town just beyond Creaky Tree last week. They were shooting ducks out in the marshes and a family reported a clutch of duck eggs that had been disturbed and apparently abandoned. The Creaky Clinic took the call and one of Daryl's guys headed out, but the mother had been shot down. So they hatched the eggs at the Practice and have been keeping them going the last few days. They're about a week old but they're strong and the clinic's just too busy."

Becca had sat quietly down on the desk, biting her lip. Her blue eyes were much softer and Chess smiled at the predictable reaction. "Daryl knows you're a sucker for an animal in need, " Chess continued. "He phoned up to see if we could take them off his hands and Austin said we would. He said he'd let you know when he came down to work Toeki."

"What kind of care do they need?" Becca asked.

"They have a box and a heat lamp," Chess hurried to explain. "Daryl's supplying us with the right food. We just need to watch over them and make sure they have space as they grow. It won't be long and they'll have their adult feathers."

"And then?" Alec butted in, looking curious.

"We're not taming them, and they're not imprinted. We'll be able to let them out in the pond - we can fence off the common, but foxes probably won't go for them with all the activity so close. They'll take care of themselves when they're adults and there are ducks out on the canals who drop by now and then - they'll have others to follow when winter comes."

Becca laughed quietly. "Well, it sounds like its all worked out, and if they're here, who am I to say no? Go and get them - they can be kept in here for the first few weeks and we'll move them to the farmyard when they're bigger. Where are Twitch and Dice?"

"They're out by the pond right now with Poe and Puppy," Chess supplied.

"Does Puppy have a name yet?" Becca asked absently, clearing a space on the desk for a box of ducklings.

Chess shrugged. "Come on; lets go get the ducklings and we can stop by to see them and find out."

The two girls made their way up the barn and out, leaving Alec to finish cleaning his tack.

Daryl's truck was sitting quiet and still just outside the yard, and laughter was coming from around the side of the yard. Sharing a look, Chess and Becca followed the noise out to the grassy common.

Daryl was crouched by an empty box, smiling with Twitch and Candace cross legged in the grass nearby. They were all watching the peculiar gathering before them.

Poe had sprawled in the grass, her forelegs extended before her and hindlegs tucked beneath her belly. As they watched, Twitch's little liver and merle puppy gambolled around the young horse, tripped - over her ears or Poe's legs - and rolled in the grass. All around the pair of them were the ducklings. Their tiny little bodies were fuzzy and plump; downy feathers in warm yellows, creams and browns with dainty beaks tipped with pink. One was tucked between Poe's hooves, apparently snoozing, and though the foal was far larger than her feathery friend, she seemed inclined to be very gentle with them.

Chess and Becca sat with the girls and Daryl to watch.

Ducklings waddled around in the grass, falling over in the fresh blades, making tiny chirps as they went. The puppy stepped delicately between them as she wandered and stopping once in a while to stand on her hind legs and lick softly at Poe's face. Chess pulled out her phone on one such occasion and took a few pictures of the unusual gathering.

"Ciara at Artistik Arabians are holding a mini-show," she explained to the others. "The rules are really relaxed, so maybe they'd be okay with a photo entry - I thought we could send this. What's a better spring than all these babies?"

Before long, though, Daryl collected up all the tiny ducklings and placed them back in their box with a heating pad - they were still too young and small to wander for long. Twitch gathered up her puppy, who set her head on her paws and yawned widely. Candace approached Poe, who nearly put her nose into her rope halter before looking around her for stray ducklings before leaping to her feet.

Chess linked her arm through Becca's, and the brunette smiled. "It feels like Spring's here now, doesn't it? We have a ton of baby animals this year."

"Don't get any ideas," Becca grumbled through her smile. They began trekking after the others back to the barn. "We are not having kittens next year."

"You'll change your mind by then," Chess said in certainty.

Becca didn't argue.

So, with regards to the art...I've never attempted ducklings before, so they were a lot of fun, but I did need plenty of refs. On the whole I really love how this came out. Nothing too over the top and I wanted to keep the background all whimsical and simple, but with all the strange poses it took longer and more work than I'd first thought . The only thing that slightly bugs me is that both Poe and Puppy are quite dark and similar shades of brown, so I think you lose Puppy a bit in there (is that just me?) Unfortunately, I liked how it fitted together and I couldn't work out how to lighten it without losing colour.

Hopefully you guys can see all the characters okay, though

I feel like I haven't drawn Poe for a while, either, so thanks to the spring mini show for inspiring me to do that again ^^

Time - a number of hours. I wasn't counting
ref images: [link] [link] [link] [link] [link]
Art, characters and story copyright to *Tattered-Dreams
Do not take, copy, edit, redistribute or manipulate.

Description

EDIT: updated this after a little tweaking and recolouring - you can see the puppy more easily now
The original image is in my scraps, here: [link]

First, the title comes from a song, featured in Bambi 2 and it seemed kind of appropriate, even though Spring's sort of here

The heat of the sun
Will shine right through
And never a moment comes too soon
As the first sign of spring

Air is getting warmer
By the day
As the thaw begins
So put a corner on this page
The leaves are green again
And cloudy skies
Are lifting away
Right in front of our very eyes
And we will be together
At the first sign of spring....

~ Michelle Lewis

Show: Artistik Arabians Spring Mini-show 2013
Host:
Stable: Lakewood Farm
Horse: Lakewood's Poetry in Motion "Poe"
Handler: Candace Applin
Class: Foal (under 2yrs)
Setting: The common at Lakewood Farm (just by the pond)

Since *ReQuay announced her spring mini show, I sort of got this idea forming in my head. I wasn't sure I'd have the time to get it done, but yesterday (with the bunny eating again, I was able to relax enough to just draw while watching her ). It is a show for Arabians, and with Poe in there, I hope this is acceptable, even though its a bit of a mix of animals.

My reasoning for this was that to me, Spring is about birth and new life but for some odd reason, I also think of it being the beginning of new bonds and familial relationships (like mothers and offspring) while I think of summer as the strengthening and growth of those bonds. So all the animals are babies, for that new life, the ducklings, and the story behind them represent new beginnings and all of them together represent the new relationships. I have no idea if that makes sense outside of my brain XD.

Also, these aren't just for the show. Lakewood is getting ducks. Nine of them, to be precise.

Like the goats, chickens and alpaca, they'll quietly exist in the background, but as Lakewood grows in my mind, I just feel like bringing back more elements that really make it a farm. We may get a bad-tempered goose next XD.

I know there's no story requirement, but I've been a bit AWOL lately, and I want to introduce the ducks, so have one anyway

"They're here! They're here, they're here!" Chess raced down the barn and slid to a stop just before barrelling into the sunken couch at the back of the Den. Becca was leaning over the desk, firmly trying to push Misfit backwards out of the open window he'd climbed half into and Alec was cleaning Kiwi's bridle from a hanging hook. They both looked up at her with varying expressions of confusion.

"What's here?" Becca asked, giving another shove and Making the patched Goat stumble. He went sailing backwards into his pen with an indignant bleat and flailing limbs. Becca hauled the window closed. "Because if its martians then I'm sorry but it's just too busy; they'll have to get back in their ship and come next week."

Alec sniggered. Chess stuck her tongue out.

"Not martians," she said. "They won't come here after what we did last time we saw a UFO. No, the ducklings."

Both Alec and Becca froze, then shared a look, then turned slowly back to her.

"Ducklings?" Alec asked.

"Explain," Becca said.

Chess frowned. "Austin didn't tell you?"

There was another shared look.

"No," Becca said slowly, like talking to a small child.

Chess sighed. "Some hunters came through the town just beyond Creaky Tree last week. They were shooting ducks out in the marshes and a family reported a clutch of duck eggs that had been disturbed and apparently abandoned. The Creaky Clinic took the call and one of Daryl's guys headed out, but the mother had been shot down. So they hatched the eggs at the Practice and have been keeping them going the last few days. They're about a week old but they're strong and the clinic's just too busy."

Becca had sat quietly down on the desk, biting her lip. Her blue eyes were much softer and Chess smiled at the predictable reaction. "Daryl knows you're a sucker for an animal in need, " Chess continued. "He phoned up to see if we could take them off his hands and Austin said we would. He said he'd let you know when he came down to work Toeki."

"What kind of care do they need?" Becca asked.

"They have a box and a heat lamp," Chess hurried to explain. "Daryl's supplying us with the right food. We just need to watch over them and make sure they have space as they grow. It won't be long and they'll have their adult feathers."

"And then?" Alec butted in, looking curious.

"We're not taming them, and they're not imprinted. We'll be able to let them out in the pond - we can fence off the common, but foxes probably won't go for them with all the activity so close. They'll take care of themselves when they're adults and there are ducks out on the canals who drop by now and then - they'll have others to follow when winter comes."

Becca laughed quietly. "Well, it sounds like its all worked out, and if they're here, who am I to say no? Go and get them - they can be kept in here for the first few weeks and we'll move them to the farmyard when they're bigger. Where are Twitch and Dice?"

"They're out by the pond right now with Poe and Puppy," Chess supplied.

"Does Puppy have a name yet?" Becca asked absently, clearing a space on the desk for a box of ducklings.

Chess shrugged. "Come on; lets go get the ducklings and we can stop by to see them and find out."

The two girls made their way up the barn and out, leaving Alec to finish cleaning his tack.

Daryl's truck was sitting quiet and still just outside the yard, and laughter was coming from around the side of the yard. Sharing a look, Chess and Becca followed the noise out to the grassy common.

Daryl was crouched by an empty box, smiling with Twitch and Candace cross legged in the grass nearby. They were all watching the peculiar gathering before them.

Poe had sprawled in the grass, her forelegs extended before her and hindlegs tucked beneath her belly. As they watched, Twitch's little liver and merle puppy gambolled around the young horse, tripped - over her ears or Poe's legs - and rolled in the grass. All around the pair of them were the ducklings. Their tiny little bodies were fuzzy and plump; downy feathers in warm yellows, creams and browns with dainty beaks tipped with pink. One was tucked between Poe's hooves, apparently snoozing, and though the foal was far larger than her feathery friend, she seemed inclined to be very gentle with them.

Chess and Becca sat with the girls and Daryl to watch.

Ducklings waddled around in the grass, falling over in the fresh blades, making tiny chirps as they went. The puppy stepped delicately between them as she wandered and stopping once in a while to stand on her hind legs and lick softly at Poe's face. Chess pulled out her phone on one such occasion and took a few pictures of the unusual gathering.

"Ciara at Artistik Arabians are holding a mini-show," she explained to the others. "The rules are really relaxed, so maybe they'd be okay with a photo entry - I thought we could send this. What's a better spring than all these babies?"

Before long, though, Daryl collected up all the tiny ducklings and placed them back in their box with a heating pad - they were still too young and small to wander for long. Twitch gathered up her puppy, who set her head on her paws and yawned widely. Candace approached Poe, who nearly put her nose into her rope halter before looking around her for stray ducklings before leaping to her feet.

Chess linked her arm through Becca's, and the brunette smiled. "It feels like Spring's here now, doesn't it? We have a ton of baby animals this year."

"Don't get any ideas," Becca grumbled through her smile. They began trekking after the others back to the barn. "We are not having kittens next year."

"You'll change your mind by then," Chess said in certainty.

Becca didn't argue.

So, with regards to the art...I've never attempted ducklings before, so they were a lot of fun, but I did need plenty of refs. On the whole I really love how this came out. Nothing too over the top and I wanted to keep the background all whimsical and simple, but with all the strange poses it took longer and more work than I'd first thought . The only thing that slightly bugs me is that both Poe and Puppy are quite dark and similar shades of brown, so I think you lose Puppy a bit in there (is that just me?) Unfortunately, I liked how it fitted together and I couldn't work out how to lighten it without losing colour.

Hopefully you guys can see all the characters okay, though

I feel like I haven't drawn Poe for a while, either, so thanks to the spring mini show for inspiring me to do that again ^^

Time - a number of hours. I wasn't counting
ref images: [link] [link] [link] [link] [link]
Art, characters and story copyright to *Tattered-Dreams
Do not take, copy, edit, redistribute or manipulate.