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This is an 12×18 watercolor I did of a Rhode Island Red rooster against a backdrop of tall grass.  I had seen a similar painting of a hen against an abstract background of drips and splotches (although much more splotch than drip).  I loved it, and decided I’d like to try something similar, but with a Rhode Island Red rooster, like we had growing up.  I drew the rooster and then covered it in masking fluid. I then worked on the grass using various shades of gold and green, occasionally angling the paper the paint would drip, or flicking the paint, and then dropping water on portions.

The subject: Growing up we had this huge rooster we called “Scratch.”  We called him this because he had a terrible habit of chasing us, particularly my little brother Sam, and attacking with his claws and spurs.  On one such occasion, my dad, trying to get the rooster away from my little brother swiped at him with a long stick, and accidentally put out one of the rooster’s eyes.  He felt absolutely awful about it.  Months later, while we were working in our garden, my dad found this HUGE worm, and thought he’d make it up to the rooster with this juicy offering.  The rooster gobbled it up, but suddenly started acting very strange.  He was lurching, fell to the ground, and was flopping around while his comb and wattle turned an alarming shade of blue.  He’d choked to death on my dad’s peace offering.  Thus perished Ol’ Scratch.  This is my tribute to him.

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