Hi Everyone!

Work has been kicking my butt, so I do apologize for not keeping up with the weekly challenges. I went back and caught up though. There is now a challenge animal for each week of August up until today. These are some interesting creatures, so have fun! You guys are doing great by the way! It's been a lot of fun seeing what you all come up with. Now that I am in between jobs I'll have time to join back in! I hope to get some sketches up by next week :)

August: Reptiles, Week 4: Lizard


August: Reptiles, Week 3: Tuatara

Even though these guys resemble lizards, they aren't. They are part of their own district lineage:Sphenodontia. The two species of tuatara are the only surviving members of its order, which flourished around 200 million years ago.


August: Reptiles, Week 2: Turtle

Did you know... The oldest known tortoise may have been a radiated tortoise from Madagascar (Astrochelys radiata), which died in 1965. She was at least 188 years old, having been given to the Tonga royal family, by Captain Cook in 1773 or 1777.


July Birds week 3 owl

Distinguished Owl, Japanese pentel brush pen


August: Reptiles, Week 1: Crocodile/Alligator

Crocodiles and Alligators.. very similar, but significantly different. Do you know what makes them different?

"The easiest way of telling apart crocodiles from alligators is to look at their noses. Alligators have a wide "U"-shaped, rounded snout (like a shovel), whereas crocodiles tend to have longer and more pointed "V"-shaped noses.

Also, in alligators, the upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw and completely overlaps it. Therefore, the teeth in the lower jaw are almost completely hidden when the mouth closes, fitting neatly into small depressions or sockets in the upper jaw. This is particularly apparent with the large fourth tooth in the lower jaw. In crocodiles, the upper jaw and lower jaw are approximately the same width, and so teeth in the lower jaw fit along the margin of the upper jaw when the mouth is closed."