The Australian Black Cockatoos hold a special place in my heart.

Their distinctive calls, like dropping bombs of screeches. I know they are big… but not that big, yet I get this feeling of solid cross-shadows as they cruise overhead like spitfires blackening out the sun. It always seems like they have gotten their mates together and are on a mission.

They make me smile when I see these beautiful birds in the wild. Perhaps the rarity of their sightings adds to their allure or because of the demanding presence they exude.

The Black Cockatoos are also great to illustrate in inks, especially for a black and white artist like myself. It allows me to keep that black and white clarity while adding that hint of colour—that ignition of life or glow of passion.