Tolbunt Crested Polish

The animal of the month on Love Life Drawing is a chicken. I asked a friend who raises chickens if she had any favorite pictures. I figured I’d get something cutesy, like a silkie. Instead I got an incredible challenge: the Tolbunt Crested Polish. I think that’s a hen. It’s a pretty vivid bird, and flashiness is generally a male bird trait, but I think that’s normal for this breed.

I’m happy with the face and beak. The feathers proved to be a bigger challenge than I’d hoped, but I do think I got across both the depth of color and the upward orientation of them on this bird, even if they don’t look particularly like feathers. Another place where it will take some experimentation to find the line between detail and impression.