Moa Skull Watercolor

Moa Skull

12" x 8"

140 lbs. Arches watercolor paper wrapped frame

A moa was a large flightless bird indigenous to New Zealand that is now extinct. The markings on the skull are a very loose representation of the facial tattoos of the Maori, also indigenous to New Zealand. I purposely kept the skull "tattoos" inexact because, as I understand it, to copy a Maori's tattoo is like stealing their identity. My only purpose in representing them here was to tie the bird to the people it once lived among.

Animal Skull Watercolor Paintings

Of all the subjects in the world why skulls? This thought has been bouncing around in my head for a while now and I think I have an answer. As a tattoo artist I've been surrounded by them; in the flash art, the paintings my fellow artists do for themselves, and as knick knacks all over the shop... sometimes models, sometimes the real thing... but always the same thing, human skulls.

For years I've mostly ignored skulls as subject matter, I found the idea of drawing endless pictures of the same thing frightfully dull. Animal skulls, however, are widely diverse but with all the interest (maybe more) of a human skull as a subject. Lots of nooks and cracks, large smooth areas, not to mention that some of them just look completely alien.

My biggest hurdle as an artist has always been completing a 'body of work', I lose interest halfway through and go on to another subject. I'm planning on completing at least 10 skull paintings, not a large number but hey, start small right? Below are the skulls I've done so far...

Moa Skull

Saber-toothed Tiger Skull

Chihuahua Skull

Burrowing Owl Skull

Osprey Skull