Toucans!

Toco Toucan & Scarlet-breasted Toucan, acrylic on paper, 2015

There are a good few reasons why I love toucans, and therefore why I love to draw them and include them in my art. Firstly, it's their impressive beaks, uniquely shaped. Despite their size (toco toucans—the biggest birds in the toucan family—can sometimes have beaks about a third the length of their bodies), they are actually extremely light, and believed to help regulate heat distribution. This is probably a very useful adaptation as most species live in the tropics of Central and South America. The slight curve of their big beaks is quite satisfying to recreate on paper, and also allows a chance to indulge the eyes with their vivid, block colours.

This is another reason why I love toucans; different species' feathers come in a range of exotic colours, which makes each stand out to me. There are a large variety of toucans, from the channel-billed to the keel-billed toucan, as well as the two that appear in my painting. Then there are the aracaris, slightly smaller but still as colourful. Finally, there are the toucanets, like the emerald toucanet or the Guianan toucanet, which I think look like cute and slightly fuzzy versions of their larger, sleeker cousins.

Judging by the photos and video clips I've seen of these lovable, glorious birds, I'd say that toucans seem light-hearted and festive, intelligent and curious. Perhaps that's because of their bright colours. But I also think they have an inquisitive expression in their eyes. They seem energetic, enthusiastic. They are indeed sociable birds, and vocal (though apparently not melodious). They can live in groups of up to twenty, or away from the crowd in pairs, raising their chicks. I've heard that they eat a lot of fruit, but can sometimes be omnivorous, which implies that they are opportunistic and adaptable.

Of course, I am aware of the fact that I am imagining what their characters might be like. I sadly have not yet had the pleasure of meeting a toucan and so can only speak about them from second-hand experience (photos, documentaries, etc.) This is why I love to paint or draw them; it's my way of getting to know more about who they are as beings on our planet. Learning how to draw animals brings you closer to them. It enables you to study their anatomy, their movement, their character. You can get a feel of their behaviour, their lifestyle, their day-to-day habits. Soon you begin to feel as if you know them, and you appreciate them more, and you feel grateful that they exist.

Cat Man

Mindfulness