Richard Silvius

Just one of the things you hear when you visit Zoo Atlanta. He was talking about a tiger… it was hard not to laugh, but I have to remind myself I say things just as dumb if not worse…

Actually, one of the things I really enjoy about the zoo is how excited even adults get — and the different ways it manifests. Some, like the above, turn into little kids. Others are fascinated by watching their kids learn — asking them questions to goad them into understanding more; “What do you think he’s thinking about, Tommy?”

Still others play the docents. There are different kinds of docents: there are the ones with a need to sound knowledgeable in front of the kids — and those who just can’t help but remark about the animals and their behaviors — thinking aloud and talking to themselves as much as to their kids.

I took a fresh sketchbook with me yesterday — one with toned paper. I’ve been feeling the need to shake things up — so the toned paper gives me a chance to incorporate some highlights into my drawings, as opposed to the typical pencil or ink line drawings I would typically make. Looking back, I am definitely not taking advantage of the toned paper as much as I could. Old habits die hard, I guess… which is the reason I bought the sketchbook, so hopefully by the time I fill it up we’ll see some improvement.