These vibrant giraffes were fun to paint...commissioned for a dear friend, a gift from her fiancé. Apparently one of her favorite things about giraffes is the way they run. She is also very silly, so the tongue sticking out was appropriate for the picture. Though I didn't get to paint any running ones in this scene, it was fun to work with the bright colors!
Giraffes!
acrylic on canvas, each 12''x24''
Did you know....
...giraffes can run at a speed of 34 mph (however, because of their high blood pressure--blood pumped up their neck to their brain), they cannot sustain a chase for long.
...a giraffe's tongue can measure up to 18 inches long!
...the word giraffe comes from the Arabic "zirafah," meaning "the tallest of all."
...Kenya has the most giraffes of any country
...giraffes live 20 to 30 years
...giraffes have 7 vertebrae in their necks, the same as humans (they are just little bigger)!
Respite, acrylic on canvas 36''x24''...I tried a different impressionistic sort of style with this giraffe...looks a bit digital, bit of an odd combination with the natural scene. Hm.| Today, I see, your glance is especially sad And your arms, embracing your knees, especially thin. Listen: far, far away on the Lake of Chad Wanders a gentle giraffe. --from "Giraffe" by Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilev |
