A Mother's Love

I just finished a commission for a giraffe painting.

It was commissioned by a good friend for her daughter's birthday. Her daughter is a few years younger than me, but we won't go into numbers here! We grew up in Zambia together.

I had only 6 days to produce a painting but I knew within 24hours if it was 'going to happen' or not. My first few sketches were eye openers! I know giraffes are majestic animals but very angular and many of their stances translate rather awkwardly to paper. The recylcle bin was getting full !!

So desperately I scoured thru my scrap books and finally at 4am I found just the right image! A mother gently touching her calf's muzzle.

(My scrap books are large A3 pads that have images from mags, adverts, old packaging labels, stamps etc pasted into them - not a single family photo in them unlike the scrapbooks of recent that are so popular). I have had these scrap collections for over 30 years (let's not talk about any more numbers!!)

As with all my recent watercolours I try to snap the progress and update my fine art website with the developments. Hopefully this will enlighten the owner of the work and offer some inspiration for other artists aswell. I explain in detail what is happening. The pic above has just had the under-coat colourations put on, as nothing is ever 'black and white' in the world of animals.

Here is the painting on my work table nearly completed - the calf and mother both need their manes, and the baby needs the fly-swisher.

Usually I work in a constant state of chaos. My paint pallettes haven't been cleaned for months and I have at least 3 'projects' developing, ...over time.... , on my table.

This is the completed painting. It will be on my fine art website soon. I am busily painting some hares for an exhibition I am taking part in next week The 3 Harbours just East of Edinburgh.

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I want to remind any people living in the UK who stop by here that The Little Hen Rescue is looking to secure forever homes for thousands of soon to be ex battery hens. Can you help? Please see my post below, thank you.