This is the latest work on "Focus" the colored pencil cougar scene. I'm going with close-crops to show these updates, as the past pictures were really to small to see much of anything. This one shows the face, which I am currently working on:
The one thing I have to say about this piece - I rarely work on an animal that is so small in a scene (the eyes are maybe 5-6mm across, whereas I am used to working with eyes almost life-sized) and so this is a whole new challenge. I have to make it look crisp and detailed, yet each pencil stroke is way wider than the width of a hair in the photo... it is really making me work to achieve the level of realism I expect in my work. However, I'm always up for a challenge, and as I progress, I'm sure it will get easier for me. I am having fun with it though - this is not one of those challenges that I grudgingly accept, it's the kind that I leap into whole-heartedly!
The one thing I have to say about this piece - I rarely work on an animal that is so small in a scene (the eyes are maybe 5-6mm across, whereas I am used to working with eyes almost life-sized) and so this is a whole new challenge. I have to make it look crisp and detailed, yet each pencil stroke is way wider than the width of a hair in the photo... it is really making me work to achieve the level of realism I expect in my work. However, I'm always up for a challenge, and as I progress, I'm sure it will get easier for me. I am having fun with it though - this is not one of those challenges that I grudgingly accept, it's the kind that I leap into whole-heartedly!
The mural is created with 238 of these panels, and each one is 16" x 16" - meaning the entire mural will be a whopping 18' x 22' (approx. size). I will create a painting on this panel (as will all of the other artists on their panels) that matches the colors and shapes involved, and when all of the panels are reassembled, they will create an amazing image of "The Horse Gift" or "Le Cadeau du Cheval". The mural is scheduled to be unveiled at the prestigious international "Masters" competition at Spruce Meadows this September! I will be attending the event, where people will get to meet some of the artists, view the mural, and purchase prints of the entire mural. I haven't been to Spruce Meadows or the Masters since I was a teenager, so I'm very much looking forward to it. I have until July 1st to finish this painting, and so you will see the work-in-progress (WIP) posts as I progress on the panel. As of yet, I haven't decided 100% on what medium I will work in, although it will likely be acrylic paint. And of course, as I mentioned previously, I would let you all know what I'm watching on my TV - it is now "The Simpsons" Season Three. I'm back to working nights, and I'm going to see how this schedule works for me. I'll post more on that later.
