Hooded mergansers have crazy serrated beaks that look like rows of teeth.

Classes are starting up next week! I don’t have much left to post from my summer courses so here are some older sketches I did during my lunch hours at the Museum of Science when I worked there full time.

The staff of the Collections department were always super helpful when they were working on re-cataloging the Colby Room (essentially, the recreated hunting trophy room of one of the Museum’s first major donors, Sir Francis Colby). While they tinkered around in the sealed off-room, outfitted in latex gloves, they let me sit on the oriental rugs and sketch all of the amazing objects Sir Colby amassed during his lifetime. Here are a few of my favorite things from that room, which you may not be able to easily see from the new glass doorway:

This carved ivory alligator used to be hidden inside a cabinet – hopefully it’s been displayed more prominently since the redesign of the exhibit entrance.

As noted, this imploring lion face was carved into the feet of a huge table, maybe mahogany? It definitely looked like it was suffering from holding up all that weight…

There are so many trophy heads in the Colby room, but this rhino was one of my favorites. I sat nearly underneath it as I sketched – wouldn’t want to be caught in that position with a live one!

If you like these sketches, check out some my other Museum of Science postings. They have such interesting, unique collections  – I’m surprised they don’t have organized art classes for “figure drawing” all the fascinating objects!