Mike Hendley

  • A watercolor male stag beetle, brought to life with rich crimson and soft gray tones. I love drawing beetles–their textures and colors are like tiny sculptures in nature. Painted mostly with Aquash brushes and finished with a little white gouache highlights. #sciart #insects #artyear

    Realistic watercolor painting of a male stag beetle with rich red mandibles and black body, shown in a sketchbook held above a watercolor palette.

  • Back to watercolour beetles. Started this after the fox this morning. Nice to play with all these tools and Golden QoR paints again. #sciart #wip

    A partially completed beetle drawing is on paper with watercolor paints and a brush pen nearby.

  • Sketched this fox after it gave our ducks a good stare-down. All safe, but its beauty had to be captured. This quick study was done in 4B Pentel Graphgear pencil with BluTack to blend and soften fur textures–balancing sleek fur with that rugged tail was the tricky part! #sciart #artyear

    Detailed pencil drawing of a standing fox with soft fur texture, sketched in a sketchbook held open by hand.

  • Hey Ottawa area friends, just a reminder that I will be doing a talk at the Arteast Grow with Art Tuesday April 22nd at 7 pm. I’ll be sharing my journey, art tips and maybe a short demo. I’ll be bringing my sketchbooks and also doing a giveaway at the end! arteastottawa.com/speaker-s…

    A collage showcasing various artworks, including animal drawings, a portrait, and an artist in the center.

  • Loved working on this black rhino drawing. Played with textures, subtle tones, and even used a small makeup brush for clouds. I chose to indent paper for the grass over skin on the feet with an empty .3mm pencil! Did you know a group of rhinos is called a “crash”. #sciart

    A detailed pencil drawing of a black rhinoceros is depicted in an open sketchbook, held up against a blurred background, with various pencils placed beneath it.

  • A couple of hours into this rhino sketch this morning over coffee. Drawing all the wrinkles and creases in some ways makes me feel younger because they aren’t mine 🤣 #sciart #artyear #wip

    A realistic drawing of a rhinoceros is seen on an open sketchbook next to three mechanical pencils on a wooden table.

  • Feeding my creative cravings one brushstroke at a time! This Sonoran desert tortoise really pushed my detail work using QoR watercolors and Pentel aquash brushes in my Etchr A6 sketchbook. So tiny, so many textures, but totally worth it. #sciart #artyear

    Realistic watercolor painting of a Sonoran desert tortoise with a person holding a lettuce leaf near its mouth. A paint palette and aquash brush pen sit above the artwork in a sketchbook.&10;

  • Started a tortoise this morning as my sketch before work in a coffee shop. Love the challenge of these textures and super challenging. #wip #sciart

    A painting of a tortoise in progress is shown on paper beside a watercolor palette and brush.

  • This tree swallow sketch pushed me to balance detail and blur and a few different levels. Used Pentel .2mm, .3mm, .5mm, and a new .9mm with 2B and 4B leads to nail the textures. Tree swallows are insect-eating acrobats–feeding mid-air like pros! #birds #artyear #sciart

    A detailed graphite drawing of a tree swallow perched on a textured branch, set in a sketchbook. The sketch features fine feather details and wood grain textures, with a blurred background branch for depth. Tools include Pentel mechanical pencils: .2mm 2B, .3mm 2B, .5mm 4B, and .9mm 2B.

  • It’s been very busy and stressful week but the last 24 hours have been over the top. I took today off work to attend to some issues. I still found an hour to start this barn swallow in graphite. So glad I did. Hope you are following along #birds #sciart

    A detailed start of a sketch of a barn swallow is shown in a sketchbook alongside a Pentel Graphgear 1000 pencil

  • A sparrow stopped by our backyard and ended up in my sketchbook. Drawn with Pentel mechanical pencils, including the Orenz Nero 0.2mm. Finished it an hour before I felt it was complete–but sometimes the quiet moments bring it all together. #sciart #birds #artyear

    Pencil sketch of a fluffed-up sparrow perched on bare, icy branches, drawn with precise detail using mechanical pencils.

  • For #PencilDay, I sketched this caiman peeking out of the water! 🐊 Used my Pentel Graphgear 1000 pencils, mostly a .5mm with 4B lead. Getting the reflection right was a fun challenge! Fun fact: Caimans can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes before surfacing! #sciart #artyear

    A realistic graphite drawing of a caiman partially submerged in water, with a detailed reflection on the surface. The sketch is in an A6 Leuchtturm sketchbook, held open by a red clip. Below are three Pentel Graphgear 1000 mechanical pencils, a kneaded eraser, and a blending stump on a wooden surface.

  • Moose antlers = way harder than expected! Spent my morning at Equator Coffee finishing this graphite sketch, using Pentel GraphGear .3mm & .5mm (2B & 4B), a blender, and Blu Tack for highlights. Fun fact: moose antlers can span up to 6 feet! #sciart #drawing #artyear

    A realistic graphite drawing of a moose in a sketchbook, showing detailed fur texture and large antlers. The sketchbook rests on a wooden table with two Pentel GraphGear mechanical pencils, a kneaded eraser, and a blending tool nearby.

  • A barn swallow for a friend in NYC! Painted on an Etchr cold press card with a Pentel water brush, this piece symbolizes both freedom and endurance. Fun fact: Barn swallows migrate thousands of miles across continents each year! #birds #watercolor

    A watercolor painting of a barn swallow perched on barbed wire, created on an Etchr cold press card using a Pentel water brush. The bird's vibrant blue and orange hues contrast with the delicate texture of the paper. The card rests on an envelope, with an art brush in the foreground.

  • A beaver drawing fresh from my sketchbook! 🦫 Capturing the wet texture of its fur while suggesting icy surroundings was a fun challenge. Used Pentel Orenz Nero (.3mm 2B & .5mm 4B) and a light touch of blending and Blu Tack :-) Did you know beavers can stay underwater for 15 mins? #sciart

    A highly detailed graphite drawing of a beaver sitting on an ice shelf, nibbling on food. The texture of its wet fur is meticulously rendered, with fine details in the surrounding ice and water. The drawing is in a sketchbook, accompanied by two Pentel Orenz Nero mechanical pencils, a blending stump, and kneaded eraser.

  • Felt the need to start this sketch this morning of our Canadian beaver. I spotted this one on an ice flow in a nearby village a couple of weeks ago enjoying some time with a branch 🇨🇦🦫 #wip #sciart

    A start of a hand-drawn sketch of a beaver is displayed on an open notebook, with pens placed nearby.

  • Morning coffee sketch in my Etchr hot press A6 sketchbook! Loved capturing this great tit mid-flight. Used QoR Payne’s Gray (violet) to shade the yellow without muddying it–such a handy trick! Fun fact: great tits have been known to unscrew milk bottle caps to steal the cream! #birds

    A watercolor painting of a great tit in mid-flight, reaching toward a dried thistle. Painted in an Etchr hot press A6 sketchbook as part of a morning coffee sketch routine. Payne's Gray (violet) was used to shade the yellow without turning it green. A watercolor palette and a Pentel Aquash water brush are in the foreground.

  • So excited to announce my first release of sketchbook originals. All done in watercolor at local coffee shops before work and on the weekends. These are actual pages from my sketchbook. Learn more at shop.mikehendley.com #sciart

    A collage of four watercolor paintings featuring a beetle, puffins, a duck, and a bird, each labeled with titles and prices.

  • This albatross painting was a fun challenge–feathers and ocean waves are always tricky! Painted with Golden QoR watercolors in an Etchr A5 sketchbook using Pentel Aquash brushes. Did you know albatrosses can fly thousands of miles without flapping? #sciart #birds #watercolor

    A watercolor painting of an albatross resting on a rocky perch near the ocean. The bird has detailed feathers in white, brown, and gray, with a soft blue sea in the background. The painting is in a sketchbook, surrounded by a watercolor palette and water brushes.

  • Drew this reindeer to embrace the winter mood! ❄️ Had fun playing with textures–fur, antlers, leather, and snow. Used Pentel Graphgear 1000 mechanical pencils (.3 mm 2B & .5mm 4B) and a blender. Fun fact: Reindeer can see UV light, which helps them survive in snowy landscapes! #sciart

    A realistic graphite drawing of a reindeer in a sketchbook, capturing intricate details of its fur, antlers, and a leather halter. Snowflakes are visible on its muzzle. The sketchbook is open on a gridded surface, surrounded by mechanical pencils and blending tools.

  • This graphite study was all about playing with textures–wet hair, sand-speckled skin, and the depth of a blurred ocean. Used Pentel mechanical pencils (.5mm 4B, .3mm 2B, .2mm 2B), a blender, BluTack, and an electric eraser to get the details just right!

    A graphite pencil drawing of a woman sitting on a beach with wet hair, arms wrapped around her knees. Her gaze is intense, and sand clings to her skin. The drawing captures light and shadow masterfully, with a blurred ocean in the background. Art tools are laid out beside the sketchbook.

  • Experimented with a human sketch for a change! The paper’s texture was tricky, but layering graphite with my Graphgear pencils, clutch, wooden, and powder made it work. Might explore this as an oil study later. Always fun stepping out of the comfort zone!

    A graphite sketch of a woman in profile with her head slightly bowed, wearing a loose garment. The shading is soft, with smooth gradients blending into the paper’s texture. Surrounding the sketchbook are Graphgear pencils, clutch pencils, Faber-Castell Pitt graphite, graphite powder, brushes, and an eraser.

  • Layered up and ready to go! This Chrysina lecontei watercolor took a couple coffee shop visits (plus a dozen layers in spots) to get the glow. Painted with golden QoR paints, an Art Toolkit palette, and a water brush–soon, it’ll be leaving my sketchbook for a new home! #insects #sciart

    A detailed watercolor painting of a Chrysina lecontei beetle in an A5 sketchbook. The beetle has a metallic green sheen with intricate shading and highlights. Surrounding the artwork are an Art Toolkit palette with golden QoR paints and a water brush

  • Loved working on this European robin sketch, especially getting lost in the details of bark and feathers. Used Pentel Graphgear 1000 (.3mm & .5mm, 2B & 4B) and Orenz Nero .2mm 2B for the finest touches. Fun fact: European robins belong to the flycatcher family! #birds #sciart

    A realistic graphite drawing of a European robin perched on a weathered tree stump, created in a sketchbook. The fine details of the bird's feathers and the bark's texture stand out. Surrounding the sketchbook are mechanical pencils and an eraser, tools used for the artwork.

  • Painting this Eurasian nuthatch was a rewarding challenge! Its blues, violets, and the mossy log textures tested my watercolor techniques. Slight differences from the nuthatches in our yard. Did you know nuthatches can climb headfirst down trees? Nature is amazing. #birds #sciart

    A detailed watercolor painting of a Eurasian nuthatch perched on a mossy log, created in an Etchr A5 hot press sketchbook, with a watercolor palette and brushes visible nearby.

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