Mike Hendley 🎨 ✍️ 🇨🇦

Tiny graphite sketch of a gray mouse lemur peeking from behind textured tree bark in a small pocket sketchbook. The lemur's wide round eyes face forward while soft fur shading contrasts with the dark vertical bark.

Started this tiny gray mouse lemur sketch over coffee in a café in Ithaca and finished it after work. A father and daughter nearby asked to see the sketchbook which was a nice surprise. Graphite with Pentel Graphgear pencils. Fun fact: gray mouse lemurs are the smallest primates on Earth. #sciart

A start of a sketch of a lemur looking out through a hole in a tree. In a sketchbook with pencils in the background.

I’m back in Ithaca NY visiting my daughter for a few days. Of course I sketched over some coffee at Ithaca Bakery before starting my day. #wip #sciart

Graphite drawing of a pair of chestnut breasted mannikins perched on thin twigs in a small open sketchbook. The two birds sit one above the other, softly shaded with dark faces and patterned chests. A hand holds the page, with pencils and a coffee cup behind.

A pair of chestnut breasted mannikins on thin twigs, started on the train and finished with all that track rhythm still in the lines. Pentel Graphgear 1000 in 2B, 4B, HB. Blender and BluTack to shape the graphite. These birds move in social flocks, almost like shared breath. #bird #sciart #graphite

Thank you

Small watercolor of a European barn owl peeking through a weathered brick wall. Warm ochres and soft creams define the textured bricks, while the owl's pale heart shaped face is gently in focus, creating depth against a subtly blurred background.

Started this European barn owl yesterday on the train to Toronto and finished it waiting to head back to Ottawa. Painted in my A6 Etchr sketchbook with Pentel Aquash brushes and Golden QoR watercolors. #sciart #bird

Small graphite sketch of a Cooper's hawk perched on a tree branch, drawn in a tiny cream sketchbook. The hawk faces left with detailed feather texture and a sharp, watchful eye, rendered in 4B pencil. A hand holds the book with a silver mechanical pencil below.

Train ride to Toronto, tiny sketchbook open. Drew this Cooper's hawk from photos I took near downtown Ottawa. Pentel GraphGear 1000 .5 mm with 4B lead. They can pivot mid air to chase prey through trees. Sketching it felt steadier than the rails. #bird #sciart

thanks so much

thank you

Detailed watercolor painting of a western grebe floating on calm water with its reflection mirrored below. A tiny owl sketch rests between its feathers. Painted in golden tones in an Etchr A5 hot press sketchbook, held in hand beside QoR watercolors and Pentel Aquash brush pens.

Malignant.

I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and surgery is coming soon. Season 2 of the podcast is delayed and I will not be teaching until fall. This western grebe, painted in QoR watercolors with Pentel Aquash pens, reminds me that even on water that feels unsteady, we can still rise.

Detailed watercolor painting of a western grebe floating on calm water with its reflection mirrored below. A tiny owl sketch rests between its feathers. Painted in golden tones in an Etchr A5 hot press sketchbook, held in hand beside QoR watercolors and Pentel Aquash brush pens.

Malignant.

I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and surgery is coming soon. The podcast is delayed and I will not be teaching until fall. This western grebe, painted with QoR watercolors with Pentel Aquash pens, reminds me that even on water that feels unsteady, we can still rise. #birds #sciart

Detailed graphite sketch of a pangolin in grass, drawn in a pocket sketchbook with a Pentel Graphgear 1000 .5mm mechanical pencil. No erasing or blending.

Gave this pangolin 45 mins last night. Been avoiding it for months--was saving it for oils. But I needed to draw, even if it was quick. One pencil (4B), no erasing, no blending, no glasses. Just marks and motion. Sometimes the sketch is the real piece. The oil will come. #sciart #pencil

This 👇💯

Thank you

A realistic graphite drawing of a Barbary striped grass mouse with distinct dark stripes, perched on a piece of heavily textured bark. The mouse is alert, and the shading is soft and blended. The drawing is in an open sketchbook with pencils nearby.

Finally finished this Barbary striped grass mouse using Pentel Graphgear 1000s (.3 and .5). I used a tortillon for the blur and BluTack for those tiny highlights. I honestly might enjoy drawing the bark more than the mouse. Reference by the great Edwin Butter. #sciart

Graphite drawing of a winter American goldfinch perched on a bare branch, sketched in a notebook using fine mechanical pencils.

Sketched this goldfinch over two quiet mornings. They’re great subjects for beginner or seasoned artists. Subtle textures, soft value shifts, no pressure to get loud. Pentel GraphGear .3 & .5 pencils (2B/4B) and a tortillon to blend. #bird #sciart

A realistic watercolor painting of a northern hawk owl perched on a branch, with its reflection below. Painted on A6 Etchr hot press paper.

Painted this northern hawk owl after it made a surprise visit to our city. Got lost in its eyes and those stripes. Watercolor in an A6 Etchr sketchbook, Golden paints, Art Toolkit palette. Referenced a photo by Harry Foster. Quiet but somehow loud inside. #bird #sciart

Realistic pencil drawing of an elephant flinging mud from its trunk, with detailed shading and textures on its skin and environment.

Finished this sketch in a coffee shop this morning. I tried to capture every wrinkle like a memory. Two pencils, two blenders, and way too much time spent on flung mud and the elephant’s shadow. Elephants don’t just survive, they wear life. #sciart #elephant #art

Realistic pencil sketch of a bat-eared fox, drawn in a small sketchbook using graphite. The fox's large ears are detailed with soft shading and fur texture.

Sketched this bat-eared fox in about 40 mins to warm up before getting back to the elephant piece. Used Pentel 0.3 2B + 0.5 4B, blender and blutack in a tiny sketchbook. Honestly just needed something small and focused to land in for a second. #sciart

A detailed sketch of a barn owl perched on a stump is drawn in a notebook, held open by a hand with a pen resting on the page.

Sketched this barn owl in 30 mins in a hospital waiting room. Just a tiny sketchbook, a 0.3 mm 2B pencil, no blending, no erasing. Not perfect but that wasn’t the point. Sometimes showing up is enough. #sciart #bird #pencil

Watercolor painting of a sloth clinging to a birch tree, with detailed green-tinted fur and mossy bark textures.

Tried painting a sloth without it turning into green mush. Layered strange shadow colors and fought for fur texture at this size. Honestly kinda proud of how soft it turned out. #sciart #watercolor

Drawing newsletter screenshot on an iPhone: Substack post titled “34: Drawing Connections” by Mike Hendley (Jan 1, 2026), subtitle “2026 Theme, Podcast Season 2, Courses, US Shipping,” with a cover photo of an open sketchbook showing a graphite owl drawing.

Drawing Connections # 34. I’m prepping my first in-person Drawing 1 course (mid-Jan) and sharing my 2026 theme, Resonance, and so much more in this one. open.substack.com/pub/mikeh…

Top row: graphite opossum in a sketchbook, watercolor chickadee beside a blue ornament, graphite blue jay. Middle row: watercolor caiman head study, photo of the artist presenting beside a projected slide, watercolor green beetle. Bottom row: watercolor turtle with a leaf, graphite kingfisher on a branch, watercolor tortoise.

Drawing + paint snapshot of 2025: progress and rough edges. About 90 studies in graphite, watercolour, and coloured pencil. Middle photo is me speaking at a local group. Thanks for the support and questions. Newsletter Jan 2: my 2026 theme, why themes help you stay focused. Link in bio

Realistic graphite sketch of an opossum in a sketchbook, featuring detailed fur texture and vines drawn in negative space, with two mechanical pencils below.

I got way too into this opossum sketch but I couldn’t help it. Saw them in NY and couldn’t look away. Done in graphite with BluTack + blender for depth. Vines were negative space work. Feels like I drew a ghost hiding in the roots. #sciart #graphite #art

👍😊

Thank you 😊

Thank you so much

Thank you 😊

A detailed sketch of an opossum is being drawn in a sketchbook, surrounded by various pens on a wooden table.

I’m back from a short holiday break. Hope everyone took some time. Happy to be back working on this piece. So many textures including some fun negative drawing. More to come! #wip #sciart #graphite #art

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Graphite drawing of a great horned owl perched on a twisted tree stump in snow, rendered in fine pencil detail with layered shading and blended textures, shown in an open sketchbook held by hand.

Came for the owl, stayed for the stump and snow. Drawn with Pentel .2 .3 .5, HB 2B 4B. So many layers. So much blender work. Half of this was adding graphite, the other half was taking it back. Learning what to leave alone and celebrating all the textures in nature. #bird #sciart #graphite