My Tiger exercise!

If you remember, in December, about the 7th I guess, I posted a drawing of a tiger that I wanted to try.  I got the reference photo from WC, thanks, and I know I will never actually see a tiger.  I do see Mountain lions and bobcats, so I will have to learn to get their pictures !   I bet that's hard!   First I did an enlarged drawing in pencil to get it the size I needed, and also to understand the values- - -  and value pattern.  This tiger is lying quietly on the forest floor, sorta dreaming- - - that's what drew me to it.  I love to sit in sunlite and dream!   Anyhow, I used a grey-green suede mat board, and one thing I want to say about that surface is there is definitely less to no dust!   Great, as I was indoors.

This is the first shot I took with my camera.  First, I traced my drawing onto tracing paper----then using the white saral paper, I traced the tracing onto the suede mat board.   Then I re-drew most of it with black pastel and also charcoal pencil.  When it seemed really close to the drawing, I began laying in the first color, trying to get most of that blocked in darker than it would be for the finish.

Now, this is where I am trying to get the base value's down, not the detail.  You see a lot of the green-grey color of the support here as I am still trying to get it all covered with something!This is where I stopped for that day.  After about 3 hours, and I felt I was'n't making good choices.  I was using my new set of Richeson's half sticks I bought for plein-air.  Boy, they are so soft, and very nice.  Also some Nupastel, and Sennelier.   Nupastel is priceless on this suede, it goes on as soft as anything.  Great for the finish, I think.  We'll see.

This is today's work.  Still have to think about how to bring in the background forest floor and leaves, with the sunlite going thru at an angle across his eyes.  There is no detail, or whiskers or eye hairs , and still working on his ears, too.  and nose.  Its interesting seeing it on the laptop screen- - - -  I can see sorta where its going.   Well, when I do more I will be back!!! I am also painting my son's house!!  I am as far as the bedroom and kitchen now, already have done the bath.    He is away for 2 months at the Pacific Coast Horseshoeing school in Plymouth, Ca.   And is loving every day of it!!  I am so glad - - - -getting a good shoer anymore is so hard.   I will have plenty for him to do when he gets home!   Still, I am glad his house is small!    Later folks!