The Bull Moose

Next up..... I am doing  my second wildlife (the first one being 'Salmon for Lunch', which is a painting of a Brown Coastal bear carrying a salmon). With the help of photographer Ken Conger, I hope to create a masterpiece on this next wildlife. I am combining various photographs to achievethe background and autumn colors I want, with a bull moose being the focal point of the painting.

This painting has not been sold yet but it has a good chance of selling before it is finished... the size is 30x40", so I'm sure it's going to take no less than 2 months... and maybe more than that. Keep visiting my blog to see the weekly progress pics..

Complete at last and currently drying!  I am so pleased with the outcome, I was not sure at first what to do with the background, but settled on a road as it creates depth and perspective aswell as giving the perfect feel of the surrounding area. The painting is set in Zululand, Kwa-zulu Natal where you find long grass, sugarcane and low rolling hills. Beautiful countryside. This has been a very rewarding painting and I admitt I am have become rather attached to it... this is the largest size portrait painting I have done so far, 24 x 36".

Almost there...

Well, I have finished the clothing with just two things left - the 2nd necklace and the background.

I might actually do the background first, so that it will dry in good time to be transported to the print house to be photographed before it gets delivered to it's new owners. I know it seems odd I do not always paint the background before the rest of the painting as most artists do, but sometimes I start the painting before I know exactly what I want to do in the background ...do I do a plain background with mood, or do I do something more interesting as seen in my painting 'Endurance'? Today I will find out. In the meantime, here's a pic of my weeks work. By the way, the pics I have on this blog are from a little home camera, so be assured, the painting is not quite done justice by it.