November Sketchbook: Appalachian Maned Dragon


Hello, friends - and if you're in America, Happy Thanksgiving. I don't really buy into all this "it's a celebration reminding us of how we bullied and stole from the Native Americans" thing. That's just you  looking for an excuse to be mad. Thanksgiving was the day that the first European settlers in the New World chose to THANK all of the people (including the natives) who helped them, and to praise the Divine for allowing them to live another year. It's not about Native American rights, or Christian morality, or even Black Friday sales. It's about being thankful for what you have, and not taking for granted the people who have your back.

If you've ever been to Appalachia, you might recognize one of our more popular tourist destinations, Gatlinburg. I've been there myself thousands of times. I'll grant you, it's a bit like a tiny Las Vegas, but you can't beat the scenery, and the people are always friendly. The best time to come is in the fall, when the bright white churches of Cades Cove look like perfect little storybook houses in the midst of a sea of orange and red, and the sky is the most beautiful blue.


It seemed to take me forever to finish this one. I don't know if it was all the detail or what. I just couldn't seem to get motivated.


I added these extra shots to give you some idea of the process behind one of these drawings. I had an art teacher tell me once that when it comes to sketch books, you should try to use every inch of the paper. I mean, that's what it's for, right?

Anyway, this creature is the Appalachian Maned Dragon. It is a smaller creature, about the size of a man, and would probably be an omnivore - that is, eating whatever it could find, like berries or fish, or even the occasional dumpster fare. Seen from above, it looks like a lump of long grass and twigs. Seen from below, it blends into the blue sky. It seems reasonable that a creature of this size could live undetected in the wilds of Appalachia. I mean, people go missing out here all the time, and sometimes their remains aren't found for decades - even with people searching for them.

#NovemberSketchbook #Thanksgiving #Dragons #PenandInk #ColoredPencil #GreatSmokyMountains #Appalachia #Sketching

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