My scratchboard artwork is photo-realistic and hyper detailed, which means that the images I use as references for my work are incredibly important. This is especially true for the custom pet portraits that I am frequently commissioned to do. Scratchboard Wildlife In my wildlife work, references are crucial for creating accurate photo-realism. Wild animals have wild features and getting those intimate details correct is difficult without some guidance. When I'm scratching, I

Welcome to the Third Edition of the Frequently Asked Questions series where I answer, in greater depth, all of your burning questions about scratchboard and my wildlife artwork, specifically. Let's dive it! #1 Where Do I Find the Extra Thin (or Mini) Fiberglass Brush? My favorite tool is the small fiberglass brush. I use it for EVERY piece that I create. It is the most VERSATILE tool in my kit. The brush can be used to create soft and fluffy fur textures, smooth skin and the

Scratchboard Tips and Techniques - Take One! I get asked all the time if and how it is possible to draw a black animal on a scratchboard that is already completely black. Well, today I am going to dive into that very topic and explain how to scratch into the board to create black fur, hair, or feathers. The key to creating the illusion of black fur and still retaining the realistic quality and details is to focus on the LIGHT! Think about a black dog or cat, especially if yo

One of the questions that I get all the time from family, friends, and clients, is ‘what do you DO all day’? Most people have no idea what it looks like to be a full-time professional artist (I didn’t when I decided to be one either), so today I thought I’d give you a glimpse into my creative small business…it won’t look like anyone else’s but it will give you a pretty good idea of what it takes to run a business as an artist. My day-to-day looks very different depending on t

Hey there! This quote speaks to me in big ways!! As an avid hiker, someone who yearns for the solace of nature, a wildlife artist, sustainability junkie, supporter of renewable energies, and animal lover, it is important to me that I respect the natural order of Earth and try to limit the impact of my human footprint. Something so important in my personal life has, naturally, spilled over into my business life. So the reason we're here today - the third pillar of Melissa H

African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) Quick Facts: Status: Threatened Population: 470,000 Height: 8.2 - 13 ft Weight: 5,000 - 14,000 lbs Average Lifespan: up to 70 years Habitat: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests, Flooded Grasslands and Savannahs, Miombo woodlands, Acacia savannahs Range: Central and Southern Africa Diet: Herbivores - roots, grasses, fruit, and bark; they consume up to 300 lbs in one day African Elephants are the largest land animals and are sl

Bonobo (Pan paniscus) Quick Facts: Status: ENDANGERED Population: 10,000 - 50,000 individuals Height: 28 - 35 in Weight: 68 - 86 lbs Habitat: Rainfoorest Range: Congo Basin Diet: Frugivores - half their diet is fruit, supplemented with insects, worms, eggs, and small animals The bonobo, also known as the pygmy chimpanzee, is smaller, leaner, and darker than the chimpanzee with pink lips and a smaller head and ears, though they both share 98% of their DNA with humans - making

Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) Quick Facts: Status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Population: around 60 individuals Body Length: up to 5 feet Weight: 70 - 105lbs Lifespan: 10 - 15 years Habitat: temperate, broadleaf, and mixed forests Diet: roe and sika deer, hares, badgers, mice, and other small animals The amur leopard, the world's rarest cat, is found in the northern-most part of the species' range, Far East Russia. This rare species has adapted to life in the temperat

Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) Quick Facts: ENDANGERED Population: 40,000 (down from 60,000 just a decade ago) Height: 4 to 5 ft Weight: 73 - 180 lbs Arm Span: males may stretch their arms up to 7 ft Average Life Span: 30 - 40 years Habitat: tropical rainforest Range: Sumatra and Borneo (the only species of ape to come from Asia) Diet: fruit, leaves, bark, insects, and on rare occasions, meat The long-haired, orange primates are closely related to humans (sharing 97% of the same

Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) Quick Facts: Size - Head and body, 20 to 26 in (50 to 65 cm); Tail, 12 to 20 in (30 to 50 cm) Weight - 12 to 20 lbs (5.4 to 9 kg) Lifespan - 8 years Diet - herbivore; bamboo, fruits, acorns, roots, eggs Habitat - high-altitude forests and mountains; Nepal, Myanmar, and central China Population - less than 10,000 individuals STATUS: Endangered The red panda has been classified as a relative to the giant panda, as well as the raccoon. They are curre

Polar Bears...the romantic symbol for the plight of the endangered species. Polar bears have become one of the head figures for the global climate change movement and for this reason, they may be one of the lucky ones. All endangered species need our attention and our help to preserve their habitat and protect them from harm, but there are so many of those species that no one in the general public knows about or cares about. The polar bear is a large, beautiful creature an

There are five different species of rhinoceros, with 11 subspecies, that are at different levels of endangerment, but continue to be threatened (human encroachment, poaching, etc) and need our protection to stabilize, grow, and thrive. Ranging from 1300 - 6000 lbs, 3 - 6.5 ft at the shoulder, and 6.5 - 15 ft from head to tail, the different species of rhinos have unique features, including number of horns and snout shape, but all are herbivores. The specific vegetation they

Golden Headed Lion Tamarin (LEONTOPITHECUS CHRYSOMELAS) Length: body - 22-26cm, tail - 33-40cm Weight: 480-700g (1-1.5 lbs) Home range: Brazil Habitat: rain forests Diet: fruits, seeds, lizards Social Structure: live in family groups started by a mated pair, up to 8 individuals Lion tamarins usually give birth to twins. The Golden Headed Lion Tamarin's name describes its appearance perfectly, as the long, orange mane around its face is reminiscent of a male lion's. When in d

Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) "The bighorn sheep is one of two species of mountain sheep in North America." These animals range in color from light brown to grayish to dark brown and have a white rump and lining down their legs. The bighorn sheep is named for the large, curved horns of the males - rams. They are legendary for their ability to climb very steep and rocky mountains. Height: rams 3 - 3 1/2 ft, ewes are smaller Weight: 140 - 300lbs Length: rams 5ft 3in - 6ft, ew

Barbary Macaque (Macaca sylvanus) Average Weight: females - 9.9kg, males - 14.5kg Lifespan: up to 30 years Grouping: they live in troops up to 100 members Range: Gibraltar, Morocco, Algeria Habitat: Oak and Cedar forests Population: 8,000-10,000; Rock of Gibraltar - 230 living in 6 groups, Northern Algeria - only 7 small subpopulations that are separated by 50-200km, Moroccan Middle Atlas - the largest and most important to conservation Diet: Plants and insects (snails, worms

The Endangered Species Series showcases endangered and threatened species around the world through wildlife scratchboard artwork and education about the creatures. Wildlife and the natural world play a very important role in my work as an artist - they are my inspiration and now part of my motivation. I want my art to be more than just pretty pictures to hang on walls - I want it to have a greater purpose. I feel a responsibility to protect the world that inspires me every