Seals Hauled Out
If seeing harbor seals lazing on seaweed draped rocks isn’t awesome enough, hearing them growling at each other and splashing at rivals in a full-on water fight ranks high on my list of Maine vacation experiences. This group of about 40 seals hauls out to rest on the same rocky ledges at low tide each day. I sketched them on two separate days; first, from a place on shore where I used binoculars to view them, and the second time from a closer rocky outcrop that we reached by canoe. Tucked in among the rocks myself, I could see them much better, but still needed binoculars for better views.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), harbor seals haul out to regulate their body temperature, molt, interact with other seals, give birth, and nurse their pups.
It looks like the seals are sitting on top of the water (above), but the rocks are just underneath them and are revealed as the tide continues to go out. You can see that there is a lot of color variation among this group of seals. When the rocks are visible (below), many blend in perfectly with the seaweed draped rocks. I especially liked the large white one whose fur gleamed golden in the sun. (Day 1 sketch below, Day 2 above)
Tips and Techniques: When you sketch from binoculars, you only get about six second to remember what you saw—hardly enough to make a detailed drawing. Still, if your subject weighs 250 pounds and isn’t moving quickly, you can make it work. Fortunately, the shapes and postures of seals are not too complicated, and they tend to rest in similar poses, so you can watch and sketch and wait for them to resume a pose if they move. When sketching from shore, I painted on location using an Etchr sketchbook with excellent watercolor paper. From the canoe and rocky ledge, I sketched in pencil only in my Stillman & Birn Zeta sketchbook and added text, watercolor, anatomy, and close up head shot later.
Drawn In 
What an amazing experience!
You would think that there would be crowds of people watching them, but we were the only ones. Part of the joy of being in a wild place!
Love this spread! Thank you!
Thanks Rose. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.
Your sketches and watercolors are just beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing and inspiring us.
Thanks Lynda!
Stellar!
Thanks Sam!
Love your harbor seals. Thanks for sharing!
I love having the opportunity to be in more wild places. The silence, tides, spruce woods, and tidal bays all around are part of what makes seeing the seals so special.
How fun this must have been to see!!! 😀
It really was!
Totally fun and easy subjects to sketch. We’re doing a camping/road trip on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada and seeing lots of harbour seals everywhere. Thanks for sharing and will give it a try1
You should Peri! I love all their poses and out-of-water postures. Hope you get some closeup views.
That white one with its head downhill! You really captured the glory and indulgence of basking in the sunlight — I can just feel its pleasure in the moment. Nice energy all around in these sketches, thanks for sharing!
Thanks Cathy. I like the way that pose turned out. Wish I could see and sketch them more than once a year.
Sketching using binoculars – what’s next? Your curiosity and determination are admirable, Jean! 🙂
Such amazing animals. I love both pages. We took a boat trip out to Mt. Desert Rock Light and the seals were piled on top of each other. Quite a sight! At that time I wasn’t sketching anything. What an opportunity that would’ve been.
You’ll have to go back sometime. I bet it was a great sight!
I love this!!
Thanks Sharon– I loved seeing and sketching the seals.