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Published: 2006-05-15 17:58:45 +0000 UTC; Views: 14053; Favourites: 358; Downloads: 1720
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Description
There's a mockingbird that sings around here after midnight. I hadn't known they sang at night, but hey, you learn something new every day.Only the bachelor males sing at night, in an effort to pick up chicks, possibly thinking that if they can keep the female awake, she will eventually snap and scream some mockingbird equivalent of "FINE! I'll mate with you tomorrow, now SHUT UP SO I CAN SLEEP!" (If I was a single female mockingbird, I can't swear this tactic wouldn't work on me--after a coupla sleepless nights, I'll agree to a lot of things if it means I can get some shut-eye.) Once the male gets some nookie, he apparently stops singing at night.
So out back, there is one lonely male mockingbird, singing his heart out, lookin' for love, while love attempts to roost someplace quiet and shoves her primaries in her ears.
I don't mind the singing--I can't hear it from inside--and it's sort of nice to wander out in the dark and hear a bird singing off in the distance. But at the same time, I can't help but root for the little guy to find his feathery princess, sweep her off her talons, and finally be able to stop his midnight serenade.
For her sake, I hope he's a little less dorky than this gentleman.
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A quick and silly piece for the Anthrocon art show, inspired by the local wildlife, with obligatory fez. (Chicks dig fezes. Right? Of course they do! Nothin' says manly like a fez.) I should really do more birds. I love watching birds, but they're tough to paint so that they look cute and cartoonish but still essentially birdish. I think it's the expressions, or lack thereof--the beak and those blank, round eyes makes 'em tough to work with. Still, gettin' there.
Anyway, the original is an 8 x 10 mixed media piece, and will go to the Anthrocon art show. If it doesn't sell there, it will be available on-line afterwards. (If you absolutely positively must have this painting because your brother is a fez wearing ornithologist specializing in mimid behavior, it is available at a significantly higher price prior to Anthrocon, e-mail or send a note for details.)
Prints are available right now for $10 plus shipping! Send a note or visit [link] to order!
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Comments: 91
thomcomstock [2006-05-16 02:33:30 +0000 UTC]
I knew that there was a reason that I stayed up late singing here on DA.
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computer-faerie [2006-05-16 02:16:20 +0000 UTC]
Animals that wear a fez are just too cute...
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rrkkskrrk [2006-05-16 02:02:50 +0000 UTC]
I sometimes get the feeling that's every bird's tactic, just most of them are too lazy to sing at night. After all, they usually only have one tune, and if you've listened to the same tune day in, day out, you'd get sick of it enough to have the same effect as being sung to at midnight or three o'clock in the morning. "All right, all right, I'll mate with you, just don't sing that tune any more! Please! I got sick of it two weeks ago!"
Great drawing, great bird, great fez. Hopefully it'll sell well.
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harroldsheep [2006-05-16 01:40:06 +0000 UTC]
if you wanted him more dorky, you should have given him glasses and a plastic pocket protector!
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emera [2006-05-16 01:34:55 +0000 UTC]
I've been totally enchanted lately by the mating pair of mockingbirds that hangs around our house, so this couldn't have come at a better time. I love his outlandish pose. XD Declaiming Shakespeare? Boasting of his manly prowess? Who knows.
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kiohl [2006-05-16 01:28:39 +0000 UTC]
HAH! I love mockingbirds (which is why =illucian linked me here), and it cracks me up that they will sometimes start singing at night! Silly birds. XD Mockers are definitely one of my favorites, and I LOVE the look you gave this one!
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nozominosetsuna [2006-05-16 00:59:41 +0000 UTC]
Fantastic! I wonder, is he friends with the hummingbird...?
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Mad-But-Happy [2006-05-16 00:42:17 +0000 UTC]
That cracks me up... and I don't know why. Great work!
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Errick [2006-05-15 23:51:16 +0000 UTC]
Whoa, instant +fav on that one, that's just.. really.. exceedingly cute and I dare say jaunty.
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gittapet [2006-05-15 22:25:17 +0000 UTC]
I think one of the things I cherish most about your work is the short anecdote or explanation accompanying each piece.
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ebony66136 [2006-05-15 22:15:54 +0000 UTC]
I have actually met a guy who tried something similar to this tactic. It didn't work.
The fez just makes this picture.
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thatpalechick [2006-05-15 21:34:25 +0000 UTC]
That poor, unloved bird...Lack of female attention has clearly driven him insane.
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smarmyday [2006-05-15 21:11:45 +0000 UTC]
I already bought the hummingbird with the fez, now you tempt me with another one?! Good god, woman!
Translation: "My, how incredibly cute he is!"
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Katimazie [2006-05-15 20:43:45 +0000 UTC]
Man, nothing says "impressive" quite like serenading someone at midnight in a fez. It kinda also says "nuts", but it's the intention of the matter.
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Soulamei [2006-05-15 20:14:35 +0000 UTC]
There was a full moon recently, and they like to sing when it's bright out. They think it's dawn. Perhaps that was the loquacious bird's reason for being... loquacious.
Crazy bastard.
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ping-rose [2006-05-15 19:48:56 +0000 UTC]
You always have some clever, funny little story to go with your art. I love it!
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Hemno [2006-05-15 19:45:45 +0000 UTC]
this guy could be a bachelor like me...but thank god i know that i draw bwtter then i sing!!
this is great, i've been checking your DA for a wile, your work is amazing, is not my style, but it realy give me a diferent look at some animals! i dont draw animals much...its wrong...i found it out when i had to draw a bulll but it turned out quite good!!!
i'll be waiting for more of your creatures!
p.s:luv ya work!
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rachaelm5 [2006-05-15 19:08:07 +0000 UTC]
I'll agree that the smaller birds - especially the ones in the finch and jay families - are hard to get into different expressions without losing the normal rigidity of a beak. But I have found that the tropical varieties have a lot of attitude that comes through in their eyes, and in the way they hold their head feathers. Cockatoos, cockatiels and some of the large Amazon parrots have great expressions naturally, and it seems to translate well to charicture.
Nevertheless, you've managed to communicate goofy and love-smitten in this little mocking bird. I wish they were as kind and sweet as you make them out to be... We have at least two breeder females that hang around the office where I work, and they will DIVE BOMB YOUR HEAD in an effort to keep you at least fifty feet from their nests. And the little boogers have the nerve to nest in the trees on the patio.
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Ennaedwyn [2006-05-15 19:03:20 +0000 UTC]
LOL! Now we know the truth with mockingbirds (well, the male ones)
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azn1x6flame [2006-05-15 18:59:07 +0000 UTC]
hehe. I hate it when they don't shut up at night. It makes it really hard to sleep while I can't fall asleep to begin with. :d
You should try watching parrots. They have a variety of expressions and movements compared to those of a finch. Some finches actually do a little bouncing thing after landing on a place to stand.
Great piece :]
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RedSlicer [2006-05-15 18:51:46 +0000 UTC]
Cool! Very funny and the little story made it even better. I've always liked your style.
Especially these kinds of pictures, like the hamsters.
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reaperfox [2006-05-15 18:23:06 +0000 UTC]
Fezes (fez...i?) are sexy !
Gorgeous art. I hope he finds his princess charming.
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reaperfox In reply to kalany [2006-05-15 22:09:37 +0000 UTC]
THANK you.
I can't tell you how much that annoyed me. For all of five minutes, at least.
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Balanos [2006-05-15 18:22:57 +0000 UTC]
HA he might be a dork but it seems like he thinks he is the biggest pimp on that half of the house. I would like to see more birds. They have a lot a personality.
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spazfroggie [2006-05-15 18:06:31 +0000 UTC]
He's so cute! Go for it little mockingbird! She'll give in some day!
He looks cute and birdish to me, so I'd say you're doing quite well at drawing them. ^^
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Preita [2006-05-15 18:06:27 +0000 UTC]
ha! He's fabulous! I love the fez, though the humming bird with the fez is still my favorite I've found that cockatoo's actually have quite expressive faces ;D
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