Viewers Choice - Spring 2017 Paducah

How Sweet This Was...

"White Knight" 52.5 L x 60"W"

detail quilting:

The drawings for this piece sat  rolled up in the corner for 3 years ... ready when I was.  The problem??.... How to paint that massive mane I wanted. Finally.... 'caution thrown to the wind and off I went..... painting seemed much like weaving.. or maybe braiding. All good. 'Happy he is done.  Click on photo/s for enlarged view.

The Pride of a Lion

Well, what else would you call it...?  I've wanted to create a class piece like this for some time... just what animal??  The  self created challenge.... no more than 6 inks, 1  black marker, and an on hand black pigma pen.  I chose a mid value purple, blue, yellow, orange, cherry pink, and lime green.    I created a basic contour drawing, placed it under my favorite painting fabric... and away we go.  Using a black fabric marker, the the eyes, nose, and mouth are marked in. Simple enough.

Next I decided which color I would use as a dark. and blocked that in.

 I then added some would-be lighter , warmer colors...  yellow in the eyes.. Then a puzzle fest began adding some orange.

Once the yellow and black around the eyes were dry.... some extra warmth. darker value on the edges of the eyes.  Starting some dry brush value of blue.. then the creating in the zone journey began until...

He was one colorful and proud lion.  Once all ink was bone dry.... The black marker returned to add a FEW interesting darks and swirls.  I'll likely try this approach again. Soooo fun!

Couldn't stand it.... quilted!!