Project 40: Otter

River otters are semiaquatic mammals common in North American waterways. They have webbed feet, long bodies (35 to 42 inches [89 to 107cm]) and long tails that are thick at the base, tapering to a point. The animals are versatile in the water and on land. They live in burrows close to the water’s edge in rivers, lakes, swamps, coastal shorelines or estuaries.

Reference Photo

1 Establish the Form and the Basic Values

Sketch the otter lightly in pencil. With Burnt Umber thinned with turpentine and a no. 3 round, paint the main lines and the shadowed areas of the otter.

2 Paint the Dark and the Middle Value Brown Fur Colors

Mix the dark brown fur color with Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna and Ultra marine Blue. With a no. 3 round, paint the darkest areas of fur. Use short, parallel brushstrokes that follow the general direction of fur growth.

Mix the middle value brown fur color with Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Orange, Titanium White and a moderate amount of Burnt Umber. Paint with a no. 3 round, using strokes that follow the fur pattern.

3 Paint the Lighter Colored Fur

Mix the bluish shadow color for the underside of the muzzle and the chest with Titanium White, Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber. Paint with a no. 3 round, switching to a no. 2 filbert for the broader areas of the chest. Mix the paler tan fur color for the highlighted areas, the chest and belly with Titanium White, Raw Sienna and a small amount of Cadmium Orange. Paint with a no. 3 round. Using separate brushes for each of the four fur colors you have already mixed (dark brown, middle value brown, bluish shadow color and tan color), begin to blend the edges where one color meets another. Hold all of your brushes while you work so you can easily switch from one to another. Blend with short, parallel strokes that follow the fur pattern.

OTTER

Oil on gesso-primed Masonite

8” × 10” (20cm × 25cm)

4 Blend and Add Detail

Add fur detail using separate no. 3 rounds for each color. Lightly paint short, parallel brushstrokes of dark brown over the bluish shadow on the chest. Use the same technique to add lighter fur detail by painting strokes of the tan color over the darker areas of fur, making sure to follow the hair pattern. Mix the fur highlight color with Titanium White and a touch of Cadmium Yellow Light. Paint the highlights around the top of the head and back with a no. 1 round, painting a smooth, fine line around the contour. Then use small, parallel strokes to blend the edges.