Back to the Zoo

Our first Joburg Sketchers date of the year, to the zoo - not very original, but always lots to draw. Seeing the animals in restricted spaces like this is sad, but at the rate some of them are being taken out it may be the only place we'll be able to. 

 I hung around near the gate and the flamingos with Wendy to see if any other sketchers would arrive, not knowing that there were two other temporary entrances while the main one is being worked on. I loved these funny pink birds but the fence around them is high so you have to stand up the whole time... felt a bit flamingo-ish myself standing on one leg then the other, and capturing their endlessly coiling and uncoiling necks impossible.

We eventually found Leonora and John and joined them at the rhino pen. I sketched the sketchers and quickies of the rhinos - no, they weren't all on the same side of the fence - a bit of artistic licence to fit everybody in.

There was a long line of interesting back views (people) at the lion enclosure, which drifted off as I started sketching them, so I tried the lionesses, including some beautiful rare white ones - the males were hiding. Some rather weird and scribbly renditions but they didn't keep still, not for a moment! Again, there is a fence - a faulty electric one that clicked incessantly which must surely have miffed the animals and made them so restless. I'd like to go back on a quiet week day, take proper watercolour paper and brushes and try the birds and lions again.

Last stop the restaurant where we found a last stray sketcher, Lisa, who had been communing with the apes. I discovered I was missing my brand new dagger brush (see previous post) so trudged back to the lions, eyes fixed on the ground. It was there, under the tree where I'd been sitting - whew! A last quick sketch - some children who once again moved off before I'd got the little sister in, a chicken who fancied our pizza, some odd buildings - lunch, a chat and home!