That really is delightful, Jim! It's the first owl I've seen with a built-in sense of fun 
It has such a lovely alert look about it and a life of its own. Even the eyes are glassy and wet. How you achieve this with the tools at your disposal defeats me. Especially on an image only 5"x7".
The log had a perfect angle - I can't really describe why - I just feel that it fills the space and compliments the bird.
"I have to say that the idea of negative drawing has help me a LOT....cause I caught myself still wanting to make some shapes as a whole instead of making the stuff around what is there."
It's a concept that doesn't always make sense at first but when it "clicks" it opens up a whole new way of seeing things. I'm happy it's working for you.
"I think ill name this one "silent night"..because owls are probably the quietest hunters in north america...."
Not round here they're not! We have Little Owls, Barn Owls and Tawny (Screech) Owls and their calls across the fields are anything but silent! But their flight is beautiful and wonderfully quiet. Only a week ago one flew over my head, about 20 feet up, as I was giving the dogs there midnight walk and it was totally silent - weird. About 15 years ago the same thing happened to but this time with two who were circling around me and our house. They were calling to each other as they flew but this time I could hear their flight because it was very misty. I couldn't see the Tawnies, of course, but the "swishhhhh" of their wings as they wheeled just above me was absolutely magical.
Sorry, Jim.... I got off the point there 
... Thanks for letting us see its progression - and the great result. I still can't get over the life you've injected into this study!
MIKE
www.SibleyFineArt.com
www.Starving-Artists.net
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