sketching january
make art january

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Fishbird Central Newsletter

Are you sketching January in 2025? 

Of course you are! Sketching is fun and painty, and comes with built in animal friends! Huzzah!

Join us on a fun, judgment-free journey into creativity, guided by the magic of animals and the playful possibilities of gouache and graphite!

Every day, we’ll meet a new animal friend. Choose an animal from Pinterest that speaks to you (extra points if it’s literally speaking to you) and then sketch away! Bring to life a new friend complete with their own unique backstory.

When we make art, it’s not about perfection; it’s about discovering the joy of creating, one brushstroke at a time, and then turning them into a fictional crime-solver or pretend archaeologist.

With each animal you sketch and paint, you’ll grow in confidence, learn to embrace your style, and realise that starting is the hardest but most rewarding step.

So grab your supplies, set aside your doubts, and join us on this monthly adventure! By the end of January, you won’t just have a collection of animal portraits – you’ll have the courage to call yourself an artist!

Let’s start creating together and sketch it up in January!

* All character bios are the property and fever dream of Fishbird Central. Stay tuned for further adventures from our plucky detectives! Let us know which storyline appeals to you the most!

IN THIS POST

Rodney Pigeons

pigeon - make art january 
Who did we sketch?:

Meet Rodney Pigeons! 

Character Bio:

Rodney Pigeons is living the high life – or at least, the highest life a home-town pigeon can live.

A connoisseur of cinema popcorn, supermarket scavenges, and leisurely park strolls, Rodney has always believed he was destined for greatness.

Now, with cameras rolling for his hit reality series, Rodney’s Really Coo Life, the world finally gets to witness his daily adventures – dodging shopping carts, charming old ladies for breadcrumbs, and painting poo portraits for passersby.

But when an overzealous producer decides to stir up drama by introducing a mysterious “long-lost cousin” into the show, Rodney starts to wonder … how much of reality TV is actually real?

More importantly, will his hard-earned reputation as the suavest pigeon in town survive the season finale?

 

The Giggle Brothers

kookaburra - make art january 
Who did we sketch?:

Meet the Giggle Brothers! 

Character Bio:

The Giggle Brothers – Kev and Keith Kookaburrason – have spent years ruling the rural Aussie comedy circuit, cracking up crowds with their rapid-fire wit and signature belly laughs.

Now, they’ve landed their biggest gig yet: a high-seas comedy tour aboard the S.S. Jolly Good Ship, bringing their signature squawks to an international audience.

But as they set sail, strange rumours ripple through the ship – whispers of something massive lurking beneath the waves.

Could it be… Megalodon?!

Kev thinks it’s just a marketing stunt, but Keith isn’t so sure. As the jokes keep rolling and the tension builds, the brothers might just have to wing it in the most unexpected comedy showdown of their lives.

Will they sink, swim, or hook Megalodon with one final punchline?

 

Bugsey Rosethorn

worm - make art january 
Who did we sketch?:

Meet Bugsey Rosethorn! 

Character Bio:

Bugsey Rosethorn has spent his whole life munching on leaves, but ever since he overheard two picnic-goers raving about a four-cheese deep-pan pizza, his tiny caterpillar heart has known only one goal: to taste this cheesy, masterpiece for himself.

But in the garden world, pizza is the stuff of legends, and the only place that serves anything close is Royal Snitch’s, the ritzy bistro run by a snooty French snail who wouldn’t dream of serving a bug.

Determined, Bugsey hatches a plan to start his own underground pizzeria, one that caters to critters of all kinds!

With a little help from a fast-talking dung beetle with a knack for rolling the perfect pizza dough, Bugsey is ready to take on the food world.

But when Royal Snitch’s catches wind of the competition, will Bugsey’s dream get squashed before his first slice hits the plate?

Brad Bartley

ibis - make art january 
Who did we sketch?:

Meet Brad Bartley! 

Character Bio:

Brad Bartley, the feathered fiend of the food court, the scourge of sidewalk snacks, the undisputed king of culinary chaos.

Once a promising young investigator, his descent into delinquency began with a single, irresistible lasagne theft.

Now, he’s a legend among the winged underworld, with his son, Bin Chicken, eagerly following in his grubby claw prints.

But when Wingcliffe and Cheeseley resurface, sniffing around a missing salmon case that could trace back to his old haunts, Bartley finds himself at a crossroads.

Does he double down on his legacy of lunchtime larceny, or does he clean up his act before his son inherits more than just his bad eating habits?

One thing’s for sure, this all smells worse than his nest and that’s been baking in the sun for 7 months!

Esmerelda Echidna

echidna - make art january 
Who did we sketch?:

Meet Esmerelda Echidna! 

Character Bio:

Esmerelda Echidna has always been a collector – sticks, leaves, lost buttons, the occasional misplaced sock. If it sticks to her spines, it stays.

Over the years, she’s amassed a collection so big that the other animals joke she’s a walking department store.

But when Esmerelda unknowingly picks up a particularly chatty passenger – a fast-talking tree frog named Fergus – her peaceful, cluttered existence is thrown into chaos.

Fergus has opinions on everything, especially Esmerelda’s hoarding habits, and he’s not afraid to share them.

As she begrudgingly listens to his endless chatter, Esmerelda starts to wonder: has she been carrying more than just trinkets on her back?

Maybe it’s time to lighten the load … but first, she has to figure out how to get Fergus to stop talking.

Eric Peckyface

emu - make art january 
Who did we sketch?:

Meet Eric Peckyface! 

Character Bio:

Eric Peckyface is an emu with a dream. A dream of sinking his beak into something meaty for once in his life.

Stuck in a world of leaves, berries, and whatever he can scavenge, he longs for the rich, savoury taste of a proper pie.

When he spots a fresh plate of party pies at a backyard barbecue, Eric makes his move, legs pumping, feathers fluffing, a vision of carnivorous glory in his eyes.

But what is this fresh disaster! A spinach and feta filling?!

Dejected but not defeated, Eric sets his sights on a new goal: infiltrate the local butcher, befriend the neighbourhood baker and maybe … just maybe … start the first-ever emu steakhouse.

One way or another, this bird is getting his bite.

Old Pink Ears

possum - make art january 
Who did we sketch?:

Meet Old Pink Ears! 

Character Bio:

Old Pink Ears, the lamington-loving possum, never thought much about art, until one fateful night when a sugar-fueled rampage led her straight through the open window of the town’s finest gallery.

Stunned by the swirling colours and bold brushstrokes (or maybe just experiencing a coconut-induced epiphany), she knew destiny had called.

With sticky paws and a heart full of inspiration, she set to work, smearing icing and cocoa into unexpected masterpieces.

But with the local exhibition fast approaching, can Old Pink Ears refine her technique and prove that a possum with a sweet tooth can also have an eye for fine art?

Or will she just end up eating the still life?

More Art Challenges and inspiration!

If you liked this post, check out some more Fishbird Draws:

Picture of Jen Payne

Jen Payne

Life is just one long road trip towards a bookstore.

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