untamedartists

Here is a demo for the painting Moyo Chasing the Lure. base on my incredible chance to see cheetah run in live action, at Animal Ark in Reno NV.
First I did a series of small studies, in charchol , then a toned values only oil study, and finally 3 studies in color before starting the painting,
Here is the block in for the painting, the key is where the cheetah is in the space, which is long and narrow 12" x 24"



Next working out the values using very loose paint thinned with Spike of lavender, using a stipple brush, a mop watercolor brush, and cheese cloth to remove areas or blend.



Now adding the first layer of color and still working out the composition adjusting values, putting in dark where I will build the light....Dust casts shadows within itself, movement affects its form and flow and the background shines through it when thinned...maybe I should call this Dust with Cheetah as it is far more complicated than the cat!



Worked about two more passes of color and then brought out the rocks and shadows and this is the final, used lots of glazing and scumbling to get the dust light and moving. Then added final opaque lights to the cat to bring out his head. The most important part of the painting here is the composition and all of it was very carefully balanced to bring out the movement, the next most important part to create movement was to make all the edges soft, including the spots, any hard place made the whole thing freeze.



Here's a close up showing the details



If you want more details on the painting from concept to finish you can go here.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthr ... ost6930664

It looks amazing Colleen! Please keep sharing your works with us as we miss you around here

Nice to see another one from you Colleen.
You have really caught the movement in this one.
Your best to date i would say,really outstanding.

Best from mike.

That's also very much one of my favourites of yours Colleen. My eyes are held captive in all parts of this, yet still directed to the head

Thank you guys! I'd like to do more action, hope it turns out well, and this is not just a fluke I did consciously plan every part of the composition to do what it does, on the other hand working in this unusual space has it's pluses too.

WOW Colleen, you really make the viewer see detail when it doesn't actually exist...wonderful result. I honestly didn't realize that the third pic was the painting...in fact as I'm writing this I'm still not sure it's not the ref...really an amazing piece. Your ability to control the work without it controling you is just so impressive.

Thanks Tazz, what I got under control on this was edges and values. I too am surpised at how realistic it became , there is a real lesson in this somewhere
on the other hand it's been frustrating to have people think it's a photo, esp when I send it out digitally, but even in RL it looks that way as I paint very flat and without the brushstrokes showing.

Scratch that...just spotted your sig YES this is as good as it gets, just a wonderful piece.