Kittens

 

12/21/23 Hungry "Kittens," hoping for her next meal soon.

Although I’ve been having a ball sketching pet portraits from photos lately, I enjoy drawing animals from life a lot more – but I don’t have many opportunities for that. Who knew that getting a haircut would give me that?

“Kittens” is not the soft, cuddly animal you might imagine if you heard her name – she’s a snake. Fed only a couple of times a month, she was due for her biweekly mouse on the day of my appointment, so she restlessly wandered around her tank as I sketched (I guess I would be restless, too, if I hadn’t eaten in a fortnight). While my hair was being buzzed, I learned that she is mostly quiet and still when she’s full and happy. I’m not a huge fan of snakes, but I must say that Kittens has beautiful, varying patterns on her skin, especially on her underbelly (underbody?).

This was my first time at Hugo’s Barbershop, and I like the cut I got, so I’ll probably be back – especially now that I know there’s a snake in residence. (Doesn’t every sketcher choose their barber based on whether the shop has a snake?)