I love observational sketching and drawing, especially live creatures. These farm-animal  sketches were done at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, a massive annual event which for over a hundred years has brought the best of the harvest season to show in the city. It’s a yearly tradition to take art students there to help them learn-by-drawing the anatomy and character of animals, and the Fair is typically full of students and artists, mingling with the animals and their owners.  These sketches  were mostly in the 5-10 minute range — that’s about all you get before the animal decides to move. Much less in the case of the piglets — they didn’t stay still for more than 2-3 minutes max. The other drawings were done in various locales such as the Toronto Zoo, the Allan Gardens Conservatory in Toronto, and the bank of the South Saskatchewan River. These are all in either graphite pencil, or plain black ballpoint ink, which can produce a surprisingly expressive, fine line.

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All images  ©Kathryn Chorney.

RWF Cow Studies 2004, ballpoint ink.

RWF Cow Studies 2006, ballpoint ink.

RWF – Cattle Feet Study, 2014, ballpoint ink

RWF Cow Head Studies 2004, ballpoint ink.

Backside of a Clydesdale, Sheridan College, 2006, graphite pencil.

RWF – Clydesdales and Grooms. I’m always amazed by the massive size of these magnificent animals, as compared to the two grooms (the woman is of course standing on a ladder, which I didn’t draw in). They’re so graceful for such big animals, and i love the way they alternately rest their hind feet by shifting their weight to one side and posing the tip of the other hoof on the ground. Graphite pencil.

RWF – Piglet Studies 2006, ballpoint ink.

RWF – Sow Study 2006, ballpoint ink.

RWF – Ewe and Ram Head Studies 2014, ballpoint ink.

RWF – Goat Head Studies, graphite pencil.