Oops! I've missed two days of posts!

Been having problems with my little 'laptop' at home, so I am posting this on my work computer in my lunchtime.

Yesterday I started painting the drill illustration again. I over-painted the background, as I really didn't like what I had done last week and then started on the animal. This is what it looked like at the end of the day.

My work station has changed... my normal desk is a designers drawing board that I have set horizontally. I sit on a high stool/chair with no arm rests and a small seat. This working position was causing me discomfort with my arm/shoulder so whilst I have this frozen shoulder problem I shall be at my 'new' desk. This is a low ex-school formica topped bench table and I can use my computer chair (comfy seat with arms and full back) at it which puts my body in a better position for my arm/shoulder. It has made such a difference to the feel of painting at the mo, so much better. Rather than packing my old desk away, the new one is positioned next to it and whereas I used to sit facing the wall with a diagonal view out of the window to my right I am now sat at right angles at the window, giving me a more panoramic view out.

This morning Anna and I met with Mike, from Maintenance, to discuss the job requests we had sent in yesterday and that he had been allocated to do. First Anna showed him where and how high she needs a post putting for a directional sign she has done for the Reptile House and Aquarium. Then I went to Bug World to show Mike where  I need a backing board positioned for the rock pool ID signs. We discussed it a bit as there were various things to consider such as lighting, height, corner hazards and the amount the board should come out from the wall.

As I walked across the zoo coming back from Bug World. I watched little Kukena (the one year old gorilla) playing on a rope ball hanging from their wood climbing frame. He was wrapped around the ball at the end of the rope swinging around and jumping off to leap back on again. His mother, Salome, sat next to him eating and twice put her hand on the rope to steady its swinging motion. Then she put her forearm forward between Kukena and the rope and he dutifully climbed onto  and wrapped himself around her forearm as she walked away.

I got back to the drill illustration and have continued to work on the actual animal. It is so nice to be painting a fully furred animal after doing fish and inverts for such a long time. I know some of the spiders have been furry but painting the hairs on them and depicting a furry mammal is different. The scale makes a change on how you use the brush strokes.

Sitting this morning painting away I was treated to watching a young magpie on the roof of the portacabin right next to my window very close. It was chattering away and turning over all the decaying leaves on the roof, presumably looking for insects to munch on. I could quite clearly see its brown head as opposed to the deep black of an adult. Its feathers are also quite close to the head giving the appearance of a much smaller head. The adults have a 'full' head of feathers that give it a very rounded domed head. It was very intent on its search and when it did realise I was quite close, it stopped, checked me out and then bounced further away across the roof, chattering loudly as it did so.

Popped out during afternoon to put up the ID's on the newly made and positioned backing board in Bug World for the rock pool display. The zoo is busy today, the sunshine and end of school hols in sight may have encouraged a few more visitors.

Back in the studio I continued with the drill illustration and when the text came through via email for this species ID sign I placed that, and compiled a distribution map onto the sign's computer file. By the end of day I had got most of the body done and hope to have it finished by tomorrow.