March 11, 2022
My husband and I sponsor a goat named Arlo Goathrie who lives at The Farm Micro Sanctuary. When we found out that he is being trained to be an ambassador to let people meet a goat, and explain what the sanctuary does for at-risk farmed animals, I just knew I had to help put together a little design for my sponsor-boy! This was inspired from a photo I had seen of him nibbling on a leaf that was almost as big as he was at the time. He’s still a bit small, but is adorable. I think people will fall in love when they meet him!
Updated information since I created the design… Arlo turned out to be a very shy little guy. As it works out, his friend Jack has enjoyed being the ambassador going out to meet people! Animals are listened to very closely at sanctuaries, so they won’t be forced into doing anything that makes them uncomfortable. No worries, little Arlo! You just be you, sweet little guy.
Sketched as a quick thumbnail in blue and black pencil as part of a group of ideas for the sanctuary to choose from. Enlarged, printed out, and transferred to 9×12 Bristol in blue pencil. Inked with brush and pen. Finished and colored in Adobe Illustrator.
This is possibly one of the “almost exactly roughed out the first time, barely any changes to the final” designs I’ve ever done. I just felt this one strongly from the start, I suppose! You can see the rough design I used (there was a page of several ideas, and the sanctuary went straight to this one as a “do this one first!” choice).
You can also see how much of the design exists on actual paper here… the rest was finished in Illustrator/on the computer.
Obviously I’m VERY pleased with how it turned out. I think this is my favorite design out of them all… (possibly because it’s also my little sponsor goat, and now I can wear him proudly!) 😉
You can get a shirt with this design here.
Find out more about The Farm Micro Sanctuary here.
