More on the Red Deer

I am now feeling microscopically more human following my surgery, although the nausea is not completely gone. Each day I can move my arms with a little less pain so I have returned to the Red deer in mixed media and some Snow Leopards in graphite.

I changed paper for the deer, as the pastel paper didn't want to play with acrylic and I wanted to add some in the fur.

I restarted on Arches Hot Press watercolour paper, around 18 x 12 inches and am using a mix of coloured pencils and acrylic.

The coloured pencils are mainly Polychromos and the acrylic mainly Liquitex, with the addition of Chromacolor white.

I have only included the bit of the painting that has some work done on it.

The Snow Leopards are even larger, approximately 20 x 16, on Mellotex Ultra white paper, using mechanical pencils, 4B to 4H.

The reference material for both paintings is mine, the mountains of Scotland have been adapted to provide the basis of the Himalayas.

I photographed the Deer in Scotland, and the Snow Leopards at Marwell Zoological Park.

Painting a Miniature

My friend Katherine recently went to see the annual exhibition of the Royal Society of MiniaturePainters,Sculpters and Gravers. This reminded me that I had some Ivorine put to one side, so I decided it was time to have a go at my own miniature.

Ivorine is a manufactured imitation ivory with a white translucent surface. It is totally smooth and very easy to work on.

I wanted a change from cats so decided to paint a Chipmunk that I photographed in the Mount Ranier National Park whilst on holiday.

I think it's a Least Chipmunk but please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

I decided to use acrylics on the Ivorine and I'm using 4/0 to 10/0 brushes.

If you are interested the only place that I know to purchase Ivorine is from Polymers Plus, they are very helpful and have an excellent mail order service.