After decades of encountering Copperheads in the field, I am still struck by their beauty and extraordinary camouflage. Their hourglass pattern, intricate scales, and muted coloration allow them to disappear almost completely against leaves, soil, and forest debris.

In Ambush, the snake is coiled, still, and fully alert, its extended tongue sampling the world around it. I used graphite to emphasize the texture of the scales, the complexity of the pattern, and the quiet tension of an animal that is often visible only after the eye learns how to see it.

The drawing reflects both my long experience studying reptiles and my admiration for a species that is frequently feared but seldom observed closely.

Reference photograph courtesy of W. W. Lamar.