On the Ledge

"On the Ledge"

Like Dino Dancer, this is a scanned-in pen-and-ink drawing. It's one of several illustrations I did for Penguin Island, an e-book for children available from Hard Shell Word Factory. I worked very hard on the illustrations, and am generally pleased with the way they came out. Sometimes I look at the art I have done and I realize that I am no N. C. Wyeth or Jack Gaughan, but what the hell. I can probably draw better than nine-tenths of the people on the planet, which is not so bad when you think about it. Plus, I have been able to make a good living out of my graphic skills for most of my life. If that isn't reason enough to be grateful to the Underlying Principle, I don't know what is.
Anyway, this illustration shows Fiona, the book's main character, wondering if she can bring herself to jump off a terribly high ledge overlooking thundering surf, just to prove that she can. Her friend Rocky is encouraging her, while her nemesis, Brinkie, looks on with a derisive sneer (is there any other kind?) on his beak.