Mike Hendley

  • Malignant.

    I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and surgery is coming soon. Season 2 of the podcast is delayed and I will not be teaching until fall. This western grebe, painted in QoR watercolors with Pentel Aquash pens, reminds me that even on water that feels unsteady, we can still rise.

    Detailed watercolor painting of a western grebe floating on calm water with its reflection mirrored below. A tiny owl sketch rests between its feathers. Painted in golden tones in an Etchr A5 hot press sketchbook, held in hand beside QoR watercolors and Pentel Aquash brush pens.

  • Gave this pangolin 45 mins tonight. Been avoiding it for months–was saving it for oils. But I needed to draw, even if it was quick. One pencil (4B), no erasing, no blending, no glasses. Just marks and motion. Sometimes the sketch is the real piece. The oil will come. #sciart #pencil

    Detailed graphite sketch of a pangolin in grass, drawn in a pocket sketchbook with a Pentel Graphgear 1000 .5mm mechanical pencil. No erasing or blending.

  • Finally finished this Barbary striped grass mouse using Pentel Graphgear 1000s (.3 and .5). I used a tortillon for the blur and BluTack for those tiny highlights. I honestly might enjoy drawing the bark more than the mouse. Reference by the great Edwin Butter. #sciart

    A realistic graphite drawing of a Barbary striped grass mouse with distinct dark stripes, perched on a piece of heavily textured bark. The mouse is alert, and the shading is soft and blended. The drawing is in an open sketchbook with pencils nearby.

  • Sketched this goldfinch over two quiet mornings. They’re great subjects for beginner or seasoned artists. Subtle textures, soft value shifts, no pressure to get loud. Pentel GraphGear .3 & .5 pencils (2B/4B) and a tortillon to blend. #bird #sciart

    Graphite drawing of a winter American goldfinch perched on a bare branch, sketched in a notebook using fine mechanical pencils.

  • Painted this northern hawk owl after it made a surprise visit to our city. Got lost in its eyes and those stripes. Watercolor in an A6 Etchr sketchbook, Golden paints, Art Toolkit palette. Referenced a photo by Harry Foster. Quiet but somehow loud inside. #bird #sciart

    A realistic watercolor painting of a northern hawk owl perched on a branch, with its reflection below. Painted on A6 Etchr hot press paper.

  • Finished this sketch in a coffee shop this morning. I tried to capture every wrinkle like a memory. Two pencils, two blenders, and way too much time spent on flung mud and the elephant’s shadow. Elephants don’t just survive, they wear life. #sciart #elephant #art

    Realistic pencil drawing of an elephant flinging mud from its trunk, with detailed shading and textures on its skin and environment.

  • Sketched this bat-eared fox in about 40 mins to warm up before getting back to the elephant piece. Used Pentel 0.3 2B + 0.5 4B, blender and blutack in a tiny sketchbook. Honestly just needed something small and focused to land in for a second. #sciart

    Realistic pencil sketch of a bat-eared fox, drawn in a small sketchbook using graphite. The fox's large ears are detailed with soft shading and fur texture.

  • Sketched this barn owl in 30 mins in a hospital waiting room. Just a tiny sketchbook, a 0.3 mm 2B pencil, no blending, no erasing. Not perfect but that wasn’t the point. Sometimes showing up is enough. #sciart #bird #pencil

    A detailed sketch of a barn owl perched on a stump is drawn in a notebook, held open by a hand with a pen resting on the page.

  • Tried painting a sloth without it turning into green mush. Layered strange shadow colors and fought for fur texture at this size. Honestly kinda proud of how soft it turned out. #sciart #watercolor

    Watercolor painting of a sloth clinging to a birch tree, with detailed green-tinted fur and mossy bark textures.

  • Drawing Connections # 34. I’m prepping my first in-person Drawing 1 course (mid-Jan) and sharing my 2026 theme, Resonance, and so much more in this one. open.substack.com/pub/mikeh…

    Drawing newsletter screenshot on an iPhone: Substack post titled “34: Drawing Connections” by Mike Hendley (Jan 1, 2026), subtitle “2026 Theme, Podcast Season 2, Courses, US Shipping,” with a cover photo of an open sketchbook showing a graphite owl drawing.

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