Squirrel Project For Chloe Giordano's Class

I am very enthusiastic about Chloë Giordano's class and I am so happy to be working on this new project!

I had many ideas for the subject. I live right next to a forest and we have a lot of wildlife: deer, raccoon, porcupine, fox, muskrat, beaver... But I finally decided on a squirrel so that I could find more specific guidance in Chloë's video.

I am new to embroidery and I wanted to be thorough and as prepared as possible, so I sketched images of my subject (American Red Squirrel) using various reference pictures. I want to know the little guy and have his shape in mind with as many details as I can before starting on the actual embroidery.
I haven't picked up a pencil to draw in 10+ years though, so it's not easy! But I'm excited to see it slowly come back to me.

I decided to go for a standing squirrel looking up as a final pose. I had wanted to have him facing at first, as I love how peculiar their faces look in that angle, but I decided it might be a bit ambitious for my 2nd embroidery. Squirrels are more easily recognizable at a profile view.

I like the idea of a dark background with a repeat pattern that alters to leave space for the squirrel. It would have to be simpler than in the 2nd sketch so as to not overshadow the squirrel though, perhaps in shades or values close to that of the fabric.

I felt a little lost starting on an embroidery of my own design using a technique and materials I had never tried before, so I decided to make a practice squirrel with Chloe's outline.
I think it was a good idea, because I am making every mistake possible!🤣 ...But I'm learning lots and that makes me really happy.