Sumatran Tigers done

Here's the finished painting.

Here's another in my small cow series.   Fun stuff.
Oil paint applied with palette knife on wood.

9" x 12"

More work on the Sumatran Tigers Painting

Progressing slowly...no rush.

 This painting is 20" x 24" which is small for such large beings.
I'm enjoying working on the wood surface.


 So here it is...almost done.

Sumatran Tigers painting on wood

I'm currently working on this painting of sumatran tigers. My reference are photographs that I took at the Safari Wildlife park in San Diego.
This painting is on birch wood that has been primed with amber shelac. I am using oil paint applied with pallete knife and brushes along with a finger and rag from time to time.

So here it is. I've already done the underpainitng and now I'm starting to have some fun.

Maybe done

I'm teetering on this one.....not sure.

More work on the Mountain lion Painting

Almost done.     This is a 24" x 30" oil on linen. I used pallet knife and brush and rags and joy.
Here he is:

More work on the mountain lion painting

The work continues. Slowly, methodically. I'm enjoying the process.

On the easel

 I'm currently fascinated with mountain lions...so here's another Conrad, the mountain lion.

After creating a few drawings and notans a painting begins. I've used burnt umber as an undercoat , blocked in the drawing and now the fun begins..Once again I'm using pallet knifes and working on linen.

So here's the start:

Mountain Lion Painting done

This one took quite a bit of time to finish.  It was a slow steady pace which worked well for me.
So here it is:

40" x 30" oil on linen        "Conrad, Puma Con-colour"

Almost complete Pauma con-color #502 Mountain lion

Down to the final touches....pulling everything together.  I'm thinking one or two more times in the studio.

So here he is:

More work on the Mountain lion

Worked in my studio today...fan blowing. Probably the hotest day of the year but I was compelled.
So here's the progress.  I really enjoy working large. 30" x 40" is about as small as I feel comfortable working.  

I've exaggerated his front leg just to make a point on how large and powerful their legs and paws are.

so here it is ...more work to be done but..

Mountain Lion Painitng

This is a good challenge. I'm using 3 different reference photos. One is just the landscape, the second is is just Conrad the mountain lions head and the 3rd photo is a full body photo of Conrad.  I'm actually enjoying the process. The prep work included a few thumb nails , value studies and notans.
So far I've only used a pallet knife. No brushes, yet.

This is a 30" x 40" oil  on linen.  So here's what it looks like so far.

The sheeps continue

Onward sheeps....this painting will be finished......but not yet. Progressing slowly.
A flock of sheep.....   24" x 36" oil on canvas...pallet knife and brush.

Mountain Lion Painting

Ok, I'm almost sure this painting is complete. I do see one more possibility , but I'll think on it.
So here it is:

  "Pauma concolor #502"   16" x 20" Oil on canvas

Mountain lion painting

Here's a 16" x 20 " oil on canvas. My reference is a photo I took on a Wildlife shoot at Lions Tigers and Bears last spring.  This is conrad.
I'm Enjoying the process.  Day 4 of working on this painting.
I have quite a few other drawings ready to be made into paintings....very excited and totally immersed.
So here is the current painting on the easel:

Grizzly Bear painting

This is as far as I'm going to go with this painting. I've met some challenges and feel comfortable enough to let go.


So here it is:  Albert the Silver tip Grizzly    16 x 20 oil on canvas

Grizzly Bear

This here is Albert a sliver tip grizzly . He resides at Lions Tigers and Bears.
I did a wildlfe photography workshop there a while back and got some wonderful photos.

Albert is painted on a 16" x 20" canvas in oil, using pallet knife and brush.  I'm still working on this painting.

  Here it is for now:

Ideas for new Bear Paintings

When I'm not painting, figuring out color and it's use, I enjoy the simplicity of drawing.
Drawing doesn't require so much preparation and space. I like to work large when I paint so drawing affords me the ability to work at my desk in my home rather then out in my studio.
I always have pencils available...different softness and hardness...to create the darks and the lights...the movement and the shapes. The values....there is alot of value and values in drawings.

So here's a bear portrait :

More work on Free Bull

Working the colors.
Revisiting abstract and cubisim....working it into composition....

Next painting A Free Bull

Here's a new painting I'm working on. I started it about 3 days ago.  It's another in the Rodeo series. This is a 30" x 40" oil on canvas.

Next day more work on the sheep

Warms, cools, contrast...values

Another days work on the sheep.

This is a 24" x 36" canvas and I am working in oils using both brush and pallet knife.
 I've stopped using solvents and use walnut oil.  Since I've made the change...I'm breathing better and my lungs don't feel congested like they did when I was using a solvent.

Bull Ride done............ Sheep beginning

Some more works...always works. It's all works.

                                            Bull Ride  

                                          and Sheep,  just the beginning

Change is good

Show up and do the work...... Sure took a long time for me to feel comfortable with that.
Almost as long as it's taken or taking me to feel comfortable with who I am....or the new me....

Anyway, after good advice from a much trusted source I decided to give this cowboy a cowboy hat.
Although I see and understand the importance of wearing a helmet to protect your head when you can be thrown from the source you are riding and could land on your head. The cowboy hat just worked compositionally better.

So here it is...getting closer to being finished.

More work on Rodeo painting

Work continues. I find that I can accomplish what I want if I keep going. In other words if I keep working at my own pace with my own style....I get there.

Here's where I am so far in this painting.

Rodeo stuff

I designed the tee shirt for this years Valley Center Stampede Rodeo and I was invited to attend. This was an evening event. The lighting and atmosphere was exhilarating.

So begins a new series of ideas and paintings.  After going through many photographs and creating lots of variations of notans, compositions and value studies, I begin.

Here's one I'm working on.

Cheetah photos

I had the opportunity to meet and photograph this handsome Cheetah last week. He will definitely become a painting in the near future. Cheetahs can run up to 60 miles an hour for aproximatley the length of 2 football fields.

 I also met this beautiful grey fox and he will also become a painting in the near future.
Grey foxes can climb trees. They have very strong, non-retractable claws that are hooked to help it grab onto trees.

Wolves of Camp Verde

Continuing my work on wood with pallet knife and brush these two wolves reside at Out of Africa in Arizona.    I am still working on this one.

9"x12" oil on wood

Mountain Lion Painting Continued

Next day

Mountain lion painting

Here we go. I mostly used a pallet knife..thick application of paint on wood.
First day....more to come tomorrow. A Mountain lion descending.....

Wolf Painitng

I'm going to call this painting done. There is always something more I could do .

 So be it.

not so fast......decided to work some more on the painting. I felt the need to use the pallet knife and apply thick paint....show movment.

Wolf Painting

Today I started a small oil painting of a Wolf in oil on wood. It's 9 x 12.
I'm experimenting with color and I suppose when I become more sure of myself the brushworks will follow...
This wolf resides at Out of Africa in Camp Verde, AZ.

so here it is.  Hoping to finish it by Monday because I have more ideas that are bursting  at the seams.

Work continues Two lioness's Sisters

Returning from my trip to Florida  I have renewed energy and more ideas....time to create.
Here's a 30 x 40 oil on canvas of Suri and Jillian two sisters residents of  Lions Tigers and Bears.
I started this painting a while ago and felt it was well worth a revisit and more work. I'm not quite done yet but I'm getting close.

In between I've been working on some small pieces. There has been some success and some unhappy endings. Just like life....I will keep working, learning and befriending those times of challenge.

And more possibilities for the next painting.....or maybe I'll paint a bear...this is how it begins.

Rodeo drawing

Pulled out the color pencils for this one.

Fun....

Congas Colors Leopard Painting

One of my favorite subjects to Paint, Conga the leopard.
This is a 30" x 24" oil on Canvas painted mostly with pallet knife.

"Compared to other members of Felidae, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but has a smaller, lighter physique. Its fur is marked with rosettes similar to those of the jaguar, but the leopard's rosettes are smaller and more densely packed, and do not usually have central spots as the jaguar's do. Both leopards and jaguars that are melanistic are known as black panthers.

The leopard is distinguished by its well-camouflaged fur, opportunistic hunting behaviour, broad diet, and strength (which it uses to move heavy carcasses into trees), as well as its ability to adapt to various habitats ranging from rainforest to steppe, including arid and montane areas, and its ability to run at speeds of up to 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph.

Leopard Painting Wildlife Oil on Canvas

As I continue to explore color and pallet knife the paintings become more alive. The paintings have lives of there own. Once again I push contrast...because I love contrast.
Here's the start of a new painting.  Conga the leopard from LTB is once again my subject.
This is a 24" x 30" oil on canvas.    More to come... not finished.

Bear Painting continues

I've got some lovely photos to paint from. I took many at LTB last March.  Bears galore. Here's another Bear painting on wood panel. Once again using pallet knife and thick paint and strong vibrant color.

Bear Paintings

Just like the cows, I'm working on bears.
I'm working on 9" x 12" wood panels using oil paint.  First I stain the bare wood with  a few coats of Amber shellac . Then I start blocking in large shapes using a pallet knife and thick, impasto paint.

So here it is Voila: