Birds are one of the more popular creatures found in mythology; they were the root of a myriad of allegories and superstitious beliefs. In some cultures, ravens and crows, for example, were the symbols of wisdom, magic, occult knowledge, and were frequently seen as synonymous with the Other World and death. In Norse mythology, two ravens, Hugin and Munin, (Thought and Memory) accompanied the god, Odin. Every day at dawn, the pair would fly around the world, and then return to Odin’s shoulders in the evening to whisper into his ears what they had seen and heard. Odin also had two wolves, Geri and Freki. Hugin and Munin would scout out game, allowing the two wolves to make a kill, and all would share the meal. Even to this day, it is believed that ravens still travel with their wolf friends, alerting them to any potential prey. In the end, the wolves leave a part of their kill to the ravens in thanks.
One well-known story portraying the mystical qualities of birds features the enigmatic albatross. To many sailors, this large seabird was the harbinger of good luck and fortune. In the event in which an albatross was murdered, it was believed that great misfortune would befall the ship and its crew-and a curse would be placed upon the head of the sailor who had implemented the bird’s death. This phenomenon is best shown in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. (Excerpts below.)
At length did cross an Albatross,
Thorough the fog it came
It ate the food it ne’er had eat,
And round and round it flew.
The ice did split with a thunder-fit;
The helmsman steered us through!
The above and below excerpts exemplify the good luck brought by the albatross, where it proved itself to be a bird of good omen.
And a good south wind sprung up behind;
The Albatross did follow,
And every day for food or play,
Came to the mariners’ hollo!
In the mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine;
Whiles all through the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white Moon-shine.
The ancient mariner then inhospitably killed the bird:
“God save thee, ancient mariner!
From the fiends that plague thee thus!-
Why look’st thou so?”-With my cross-bow
I shot the ALBATROSS.
And the good south wind still blew behind,
But no sweet bird did follow,
Nor any day for food or for play
Came to the mariners’ hollo!
The shipmates cried out against the ancient Mariner for destroying the albatross that had brought them so much good luck:
And I had done an hellish thing,
And it work ‘em woe:
For all averred, I had killed the bird
That made the breeze to blow.
Ah wretch! said they, the bird to slay,
That made the breeze to blow!
Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where
Nor any drop to drink
About, about, reel and rout
The death-fires danced at night;
The water, like a witch’s oils,
Burnt green, and blue and white.
The poem then goes on, one tragedy after another, until the ancient Mariner’s curse is eventually expiated and he reaches his home country. Tales such as this and various mythological stories influence some of my art; they fuel the imagination.
I intentionally enhance some of my works with a marked degree of symbolism, while attempting to simultaneously produce an immediate subjective or emotional appeal to the viewer. Portions of it may be allegorical in nature-visible symbols representing an abstract idea or a short story, such as owls transformed into powerful wizards, and songbirds portrayed as magical healers. As a result, my work is often imbued with a strong sense of the mystical or dreamlike. I color the majority of my pieces with Faber Castell colored pencils, and occasionally use acrylic paint (sparingly) for highlights, stars, or for what I call “magic sparklies!” White Prismacolor pencils are also ample for rendering highlights. My technique includes layering different colors in order to obtain the desired tones or textures, and keeping my colored pencils nice and sharp.
As far as research goes, I’ve been studying birds for most of my life; by the age of two or three, I was able to identify a myriad of bird species that visited my bird feeders during the winter months. Now at the age of 18, I have observed and recorded approximately 250 different species of North American birds in the field. For those taking an interest in drawing birds, I highly suggest obtaining ornithological anatomy books. Manual of Ornithology, Avian Structure and Function by Noble S. Proctor and Patrick J. Lynch is quite reputable; it delves into systematics, topography, feathers, musculature, skeletal structure, and so on. If you are unable to acquire this book (or if you’re simply not interested in advanced avian anatomy) I suggest buying a field guide- The Sibley Guide to Birds should do. As well as using books for reference material, one should also study various photographs to get the feel of different species-in fact, I also recommend using this approach for drawing other animals as well. Always keep your mind open to new inspirations!
Article by Caroline Muchmore.
