A person in Germany has just purchased my “I Am an Uncommon Animal” Water Deer T shirt, and I still find it amazing that artwork created on our little farm in South Australia can find its way across the world and connect with someone I will probably never meet.
What makes this sale especially meaningful is that they chose a Water Deer. Out of all the animals they could have worn, they picked one of nature’s most unusual and overlooked creatures. That is exactly why I created the Uncommon Animals project. The world already gives plenty of attention to lions, tigers and elephants. I am far more interested in the weird, wonderful animals quietly living extraordinary lives beyond the spotlight.
The Water Deer is native to China and the Korean Peninsula, where it inhabits wetlands, reed beds, riverbanks and grassy areas. At first glance it looks like a fairly ordinary small deer, but look a little closer and you will discover why it is often called the vampire deer. Unlike most deer, it does not grow antlers. Instead, the males grow long fang like tusks that protrude from their mouths. Those impressive fangs are actually elongated canine teeth, making the Water Deer one of the most distinctive mammals on Earth.
I love animals that challenge our assumptions. The Water Deer feels like one of those species that reminds us nature is far more imaginative than we are. It looks like something that should only exist in folklore, yet it quietly wanders through wetlands in eastern Asia proving that reality is often stranger than fiction.
That spirit of curiosity sits at the heart of the “I Am an Uncommon Animal” series. These designs are not just about wearing an animal on a shirt. They are about celebrating difference, sparking conversations and sharing the stories of creatures that deserve a little more attention. When someone asks, “What uncommon animal are you?” the answer becomes an invitation to discover something new.
Every time somebody chooses one of these designs, another uncommon animal gets a chance to be seen. Somewhere in Germany, a person is about to wear a Water Deer on their chest, and there is a good chance somebody will ask about it. A conversation will start. A little curiosity will be sparked. And one of nature’s most fascinating oddballs will gain another admirer.
For a project built around overlooked animals, that feels like a pretty good outcome.
Kids Book Illustrator Andy C Marshall 