Jocelyn Curry

The chicks I sketched a few weeks ago have developed into young pullets now (well, two of them were boys so they went back to the farm and were replaced by Bess and Ming). The four hens-to-be have distinctly different personalities and appearances. I sketched them this morning, using as few lines as possible, selecting poses that expressed their characters. I used a pointed pen nib and India ink, then added a few strokes of digital color in PhotoShop:

The poultry profiles are thus: Bess is a Barred Plymouth Rock. She's rather formal & staid, one might say, while being at the top of the peck order. Cinnamon is a Welsummer, a master forager with a wild bird quickness and restlessness. She's the youngest and the smallest, and is at the bottom of the peck order but doesn't seem too phased by this station in her life. Vita is a Speckled Sussex, and is very industrious and equanimous, usually with her beak to the ground. Ming is a Golden-Laced Cochin who looks like a toy chicken with a perfect little face and feathered legs. She's keenly watchful, imagining shapes to be threatening prey. She is playful with the others (sounds like a report card), and gentle. To read more about my chicken-tending story, click here.