Figurine: Cock c. 1937

Bernard Westmacott made this drawing of a cock figurine, but we don't know exactly when. It looks like it might be pencil on paper. The process here is all about precision and care. Look closely, and you can see the textures created by the pencil marks, giving depth to the feathers and the body. The whole drawing is so detailed, it's easy to imagine running your fingers over the feathers and feeling their shape. The artist focuses on capturing every tiny detail, from the comb on the head to the scaly texture of the base. The shading is carefully applied, creating a sense of volume and weight. Notice the lines on the long feathers of the tail which radiate like the sun, it all comes together to make this bird seem like a king. It puts me in mind of some of the early anatomical drawings, think Durer's work or some of the drawings in early scientific textbooks. The overall effect is this real sense of observation and study. It reminds us that art is often a conversation with the world around us, full of many different ways of seeing.