240 Portraits, figures, and animals | SUBJECTS
PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE
The interplay of cooler tones contrasting with the
warmer tones in this painting aims to thrust the hare
forward, emphasizing a sense of urgency and its
speed. Loose impressions of fur add vitality.
1
Initial sketch
Sketch the pose, noting
the angle and length of
the ears (the ears of a hare
are surprisingly long). The
setting of the ears dictates
the pitch of the head. Take
care to get the balance
right so that the shift of
weight on the downward
leg would convincingly
propel the hare forward.
Correct proportion is key.
Dening features and form
Experiment with the best techniques to use to
express the key features, such as eyes, ears, nose,
mouth or beak, and feathers or fur. Certain techniques
lend themselves perfectly to describe fur, where you
want to give the impression of both texture and density.
Layering techniques help build colors that not only
describe an animal’s pelt but also help suggest
the form of the body beneath.
Dry-in-wet
Single, brisk strokes or dabs
of dry paint into wet washes
produce very effective results
for fur, hair, or animal markings.
The drier the paint, the more it
will hold its form in the wet
layer, blurring just enough to
give credible effects of fur. Be
aware that if paint is not dry
enough it might cause runbacks.
Stretching out
Mix a loose wash and paint
it lightly over the dried layer.
With a slightly damp brush,
drag and “stretch” the wet paint
into the areas where you want
crisp shapes of tone, shadow, or
fur. Such “stretching out” allows
you to control the sharp edges.
No. 15 and no. 8
soft-hair round brushes
2 in (5 cm) hake brush
No. 3 synthetic-ber
rigger brush
14
1
/2 x 20
1
/4 in
(36 x 52 cm) cold press
140 lb (300 gsm)
watercolor paper
You will need
Hare sketches
Creatures
in motion
CAPTURING WILDLIFE CHARACTERISTICS
Careful observation is key to painting
animals since you need to capture their
essence in nature in just a few brushstrokes.
Understanding their anatomy is useful, too,
as proportion and balance are equally
important for an authentic portrayal.
“Use rapid strokes and
loose wet-in-wet mixes to
reect the immediacy of a
moving subject.”
Sharper edges add denition
Raw sienna
French
ultramarine
Raw umber
Indian yellow
Van Dyke
brown
Cadmium red
Dioxazine
violet
Alizarin
crimson
Burnt sienna
Phthalo green
(blue shade)
US_240-243_Animals_2.indd 240 02/04/2020 3:35pm