Mary Leakeys 100th Birthday

Appeared On :	Feb. 6, 2013
Location :	Global
Today we celebrate the life and work of anthropologist/archaeologist Mary Leakey.  In this Doodle, I wanted to highlight Leakey's work in the most charming way possible.  I began by focusing on her discovery of the fossilized Proconsul skull, but ultimately decided to depict a scene of her excavation of the Laetoli footprints.  As a fun touch, I included her pet dalmatians, whom are often included in old photographs of Leakey. Here are some early concept sketches: When I moved forward with color, I wanted to make sure that the landscape felt hot, since she worked mostly in Africa.  I also wanted to make sure that the illustration still felt fun and inviting.  Here is an early color study: This was a fun Doodle to work on!  Hats off to Mary Leakey and the fabulous legacy she has left behind! Posted by Betsy Bauer, Doodler