“Spring, Sass, and Colored Pencils: A Duckling Comes to Life”
Who doesn’t love spring—and a sassy little duck?
Back in 2022, I discovered the joy of working with colored pencils. Like most new artistic adventures, I dove in headfirst with the help of tutorials. So when a video by Lorna Dandy popped up in my YouTube feed featuring an energetic little duckling, I couldn’t resist.
Lorna provided an outline and a reference photo, so after tracing the image onto my paper, I got to work.
I really enjoyed her pace. We worked slowly, layering in the duckling’s colors and character bit by bit.
As I often do, there came a moment when I “got it”—something just clicked—and from there, I took off on my own. It’s part of the fun: learning the technique, then putting your own spin on it.
By the time I got to the foot in the air, I going solo, not watching video anymore. It’s funny looking at it now—clearly a little duckling foot caught in motion—but at the time, I had no idea what I was drawing. I just kept going, relying on the reference photo and hoping it would all come together in the end.
This particular duck was created during a chaotic time: a full kitchen remodel and new flooring in our main living area. My studio (otherwise known as the spare bedroom) had become the temporary kitchenet and living room, so I set up a small table in our bedroom. Sometimes I worked on the bed, colored pencils in hand, a video on the TV, and that little duckling coming to life on the page.
That’s the beauty of colored pencils—they’re wonderfully portable, and cleanup is a breeze. No paint, no water, no brushes. Just a handful of pencils and a little space.
But I’ll be honest: colored pencils don’t give you much back. They’re slow. There’s no magic wash or big reveal—you do all the work, one pencil stroke at a time. But that’s also what makes the end result so satisfying.
If you’ve ever been tempted to try colored pencils, I highly recommend starting with a good tutorial like Lorna’s. And if you just came here for the duck—I get it. She’s a sassy little thing and full of springtime spirit.
Let me know what you think in the comments—or share your own favorite medium to create with when life gets messy.
If this sassy little duckling found its way onto a product, what would you be most excited to own, wear, or use? A mug for your morning coffee? A tote for spring errands? I’d love to hear your ideas—who knows, your suggestion might just inspire my next creation!
You can see more of my work (including a few other animal antics) over on my Facebook page. I’m always adding new pieces, so feel free to take a peek. Thanks so much for stopping by—and for letting this little duckling waddle into your day
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