a lion

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$80 (auction) - 5x7" original watercolour in 8x10"mat

I think this guy speaks for himself.  ; )

heavy soul

SOLD
6x8" pen and watercolour

You can see a short video of me painting this big cat over on my Instagram account - Click here 
or on my Facebook account - Here.

free rein

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$80 - 8x10" original watercolour painting.

This fella' speaks for himself.

wildcat - step by step

First I drew the lion, from a photo reference on pixabay (free image site), with a 6B pencil, trying to be as loosey-goosey as possible. I do try to keep the structure of the subject while making big confident lines. 

Next, I start with the eyes. I like to paint them together, not one at a time because eyes work as a pair. It's easy to get off balance if you focus on only one eye, then the other. Work the eyes together. I don't finish the eyes though... just get some darks and lights in them. 

Working down the page, darks and lights, transparent and opaques. I never liked painting washes in watercolour. I can never get the washes dark enough and contrasty enough. I end up having to do many washes... I prefer this more direct approach.

The whiskers wrap around the muzzle, helping bring the mouth forward. Saving the highlights in the eyes as I finish them up. Then, a few calligraphy marks and... my friend is finished!

a friendly face

$80 - 8x10"original watercolour painting

When I saw this face I knew I had to paint him. I really enjoyed painting his green yellow eyes and all of that mane. I didn't realize that the farther back the mane goes, the darker it gets. Such a beautiful animal. Ferocious, yet such a warm likeable face. 

Sketchbook - animal pages

My March sketchbook is filling up nicely. I love to draw draw draw, but it doesn't leave much time to paint paint paint! ; )

Golden Rule

$150 - 11x14"

I love painting animals!!
I drew this with a charcoal pencil then added lots of watery watercolour!
close up - 

past the lion

$100 - 8x10"painting

I went out with the Toronto Urban Sketchers last weekend! We met up at the Lillian H. Smith library, which has these awesome statues in front. It was a very tough subject for me and, after two unsuccessful small versions done on site, I finally painted this bigger one at home.

close ups- 

RAWRR!

I was very inspired this week to do some lion drawings thanks to the Daily Paintworks Challenge. These are done with charcoal pencil on newsprint.

Portrait of a Lioness

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Here's my contribution to this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge!

$50 - 5x7"painting with 8x10"mat 

PayPal, credit or email me for personal check.

lion's share

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I just got home from a wonderful trip with my sister to London and Paris! It was just fantabulous. I was especially inspired by the fantastic lush overgrown Highgate Cemetery in London. This sleeping lion is on the grave of the first Zookeeper George Wombwell, then called a menagerist.