a lion

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

I think this guy speaks for himself.  ; )

free rein

SOLD

$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!

true stripes

$60 - 5x7"original watercolour painting with 8x10"mat, ready to frame!

The pleasure of being an artist is being introduced to all the subtlties in life like... I never noticed the white blobs on tigers ears until I painted one. Wild cats markings are truly marvellous! The stripes were a joy to discover and paint. This guy has big meaty paws, one of the few ways to tell a male from a female.