I've always considered frogs to have a very appealing physiognomy, and it's a grateful form to be working with when sketching. Their long fingers that can hold on to anything from slippery leaves to sharp rocks, their big, round curious eyes and gaping mouths, and the glossy skin that can show of all kinds of vibrant colors and exquisite patterns.
One of the things I love most about painting is that to make a truly good and accurate painting, you have to make careful studies of the objects you depict, weather it's an imaginary motive or a highly realistic one. And it's not just about studying the appearance of what you're painting, but it's in almost every case equally important to study the facts surrounding the motive to produce an accurate contextual image. And when it comes to interesting facts, frogs does not hold short. There is for example a family of frogs called glass frogs whose name refers to the fact that they have transparent skin on their bellies that allows their organs to show through. A specific species of this family, in addition to the transparent belly, also has a dark green skeleton that too is visible through the skin (upper left corner in the lower image). I'm also quite fascinated by the paradox frog (upper right corner, upper image) that has gotten it's name because their tadpoles are four times longer that the adult frog. And I very much like the coral finger frog (the blue-grey frog in the middle of the upper image) because it pretty much looks like a bag of slime that has simply been folded into a frog. My favorite however has to be the South African ox frog (lower left corner in the upper image) because it probably has one of the most expressive features you can find amongst frogs.
Most likely, frog's physiognomy are the reason they appear so frequently in stories and fairy-tales, although there they are often described as slimy and loathsome creatures, and in comparison to a fair and lovely maiden or someone alike. And I have to say I find this conveying of characteristics most amusing. Perhaps you have heard the story of the little princess and the frog. There are lots of stories like this but this is a specific and very renowned one. In short, one day the little princess sits by the well in her royal garden to play with her most beautiful pearl (and this is a funny one because the princess isn't little as in a child, she's actually going into adulthood. in other words, we're dealing with a very bright young princess here) when the pearl accidently falls into the well (couldn't see that coming). The princess is of course devastated and then all of a sudden a frog pops up, offering to help her if she promises to make him her playmate (...). In her grief the princess gives her promise to the frog, but of course immediately regrets her promise the second she gets the pearl back. However, the king is informed of this frogs heroic act and forces the princess, in good manner, to honor her promise. The princess is repulsed by this disgusting creature and gets more and more oppressed as the frog keeps asking for things like eating beside her at the dining table and, horrid thought (and I have to say even I are a little freaked out by this request, and it has nothing to do with him being a slimy frog, because as I have already stated, I like frogs) sleeping beside her in her bed (perverted frog, yes?). The whole thing escalates and she throws the bloody frog in the wall. (And ladies and gentlemen we have reached the climax) POFF! The frog turns into a handsome prince, thanks the amiable princess for saving him from his evil spell, asks her to marry him and, no questions asked, she says yes.
So, what can we draw from this paradox tale: Vain, self absorbed princess with an amount lack of common sense meets someone she doesn't like, solely because of his appearances, therefore treats him like dirt, and when she finds out he's actually a beautiful and fabulously rich prince figures; Heck! Why not marry the bastard? And the prince in his turn not only agrees to marry this lovable person but is in fact the one who introduces the suggestion, which means that he most likely shares the admirable traits of the princess. So, wait, who was the slimy creature again?
And this, people, is a story we tell our children, encouraging them to dream of their very own prince/princess charming (!). So can you see the irony of it all? But frankly I can't really argue with the fact that these people deserve each other.
And then of course there's the story of the young prince that travels to the land of youth where he finds a young princess who's beauty is so enthralling that he simply can't help himself (?) but rapes the poor thing in her sleep (although this is of course only written in subtext). The princess gives birth to a son and years later she goes through great length to find the prince, not to punish him, no, but to get happily married to the sod. Another fine display of the superior intellect of the human race. So, in honor of these tales of wisdom we so gladly share with each other I would like to introduce a slightly different approach:
Feel free to interpret.
*The frogs in the two images at the top of the section are depicted from the book Stora Naturboken by Norstedts, in purpose of practice.
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