Barnyard Animals c. 1970s - 1980s

Jack Davis made this ink and watercolor drawing of a group of barnyard animals sometime during his career. Davis was a cartoonist, so, naturally, the animal figures have funny facial expressions, wide eyes, and exaggerated features. I am thinking about how the artist builds up the image through thin layers of transparent watercolor, allowing the white of the paper to shine through, creating luminosity and depth. The ink lines add definition, contouring the forms and enhancing the expressiveness of each animal. The loose sketchy quality gives the whole scene a sense of spontaneity, like a quick snapshot of a chaotic barnyard gathering. I wonder if the artist started with the ink or the watercolor first? Did he want to make sure the line was down first, like following a coloring book page? I like to watch the paint drip and mingle, so I would do the watercolor first, myself. I think the most important part of art is that the artists learn from each other. It is like they are all sharing a big studio together.