When I lived in Eagle River a few years ago I went for a short walk through my neighborhood with my camera. Half a block from my house I shot this reference photo with the idea of using it in some future painting.
This is the first painting that I did using the photo. A Snowshoe Hare, 8x10". Clearly I paid no attention to the the size ratio between the hare and the rest of its surroundings. I figured that the viewer would have no way of knowing how much I changed the composition from the original photo.
'Meet the Undertaker', 16x20". Wolverines are the scourge of many animals in the northern wilderness. They even drive wolves and bears from their kills.
I finished this painting last Monday. It took six days, working a few hours each day.
A close up of the fat Wolverine in its thick Winter coat.
This is the painting that I just finished today. Nyala - alayN, 11x14". The actual painting is darker that this photo indicates, blame Blogger for changing the photo when I uploaded it. In the painting, the female in the back is in deeper shadow and much less visible than in the photo. Why did Blogger change this photo but not the Wolverine photos? This painting also took only six days to paint.
Anyway, Nyala were the most impressive of the antelope species that I saw in Africa. Very beautiful animals.
Next month is the deadline for entering the big, Artists for Conservation show in Vancouver B.C. I intend to enter one of these paintings into the show. Which painting do you think I should enter? I will post better photos of both paintings when I get them professionally photographed.
4 comments:
John for me, the most interesting picture that i feel for show in the artists for conservation event; is the Nyalas.The Nyala are really impressive and colourful antelope but,did you know the giant lord Derby eland?,for me its the best antelope that y know; it have a more colourful thones than the common eland, his horns are larger his facial marks an body stripes more numerous nitid and vivid.
Marc,
I have not seen the Lord Derby Eland. I would love to see it someday; along with the Sable Antelope.
I know the Lord Dervy Eland by the books,and several hunting magazines,and also you can see himages of this magnificent animal by internet if you want to painting it,for meet to this animal you must to travel to the Camerun,Chad, Sudan,or the northern Congo,exist two populations,the western population its critically endangered and have a reddish coat,the central population are more avundant with a grayish brown coat but its at risk too.They live in a clear forests or an open dry forest, not in sabannas.Is the biggest antelope of the earth.
Great reference pic John, my vote is for the Wolverine! Love how you have incorporated the animal into the scene.
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