New Zealand Native Wood Pigeon (acrylic)

 I visited Auckland Zoo on several occasions last year, the highlight was the Te Wao Nui exhibit which holds a collection of New Zealand endemic birds, mammals, fish and reptiles. I've never in my life ever painted a bird before so this is my very first attempt in acrylics. I have no idea where I'm going with this or even what the heck I'm doing. This is the time when I do wish I had some lessons behind me. It's all guess work, how it will turn out is anyone's guess. I'm enjoying the challenge. It's been far too long since I've done any art at all. Missed it.

Man and horse

Back in 2009 I took a few photographs of riders at the Paparoa Rodeo Club getting ready for the team roping. I had planned to do a series of painting, but never got around to actually doing anything. Finally I bit the bullet and started something. This is the initial sketch. It's a bit rough and probably full of problems. But I won't know until I try!

White Tiger in Pen & Ink

I'm still finishing off my Tamarin. As usual no time for much art as much as I'd love to spend more time. This was done in a Doctor's waiting room and oddly enough finished in a Doctor's waiting room. This is a tiger I used to have a lot to do with until 18 months ago. His name is Jahdu, a white Bengal Tiger imported from the USA back around 2002. For all their beauty white tigers aren't natural, and most are inbred so horribly they have lots of health problems and other serious defects. I enjoyed doing this drawing. Hope you like it.

Golden Lion Tamarin - Progressions 1 - 4

I visited Auckland Zoo a couple of weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Amongst the fantastic collection of many species was the Golden Lion Tamarin. I fell in love with their stunning colours and lively antics. They are a critically endangered South American monkey species. Auckland Zoo is helping to conserve this wonderful primate as part of an international breeding programme. These are the first four stages of the current work I'm doing.

Abdullah

 I finished this yesterday. It's only a sketch rather than an indepth study. I was more interested in the way the mane and the facial muscles altered with the resting pose Abdullah had on his front paws. Lions aren't easy to draw. They have so many small details to consider. One more finished page in my visual diary done.

Abdullah - Work in progress 1

This lion was a big part of my life for nearly three years. He lives at a local Lion Park about an hours drive from me. Abdullah had been hand raised and sadly also declawed. He's a beautiful big African Lion who had a very distinct personality. He used to greet me whenever I visited and he knew my car well. This is a study drawing I have in my visual diary. That day he was resting in the sun looking rather bored with everything after having a big feed of horse meat. I love lions I'd prefer they are in the wild rather than locked in an enclosure. Sadly the reality is this lion was captive bred and will never see his parents African home. I'm just doing this one as a practice sketch for my own enjoyment.

"Shadow" Commissioned Work

This lovely American Bulldog was a challenge to do. She had so many folds in her skin but the result turned out quite good. The owner is very happy with the portrait. I haven't done very many dogs at all. I'm thinking perhaps I should draw my own dog just for practice and enjoyment. Not bad considering I haven't done a dog on over five years. I used coloured pencil on high quality watercolour paper for this work. I've learned a lot from it.

"Flight"

This was a bit of fun to do. Finished at last!

"Flight" - Work in Progress State 8

My camera again is not helping this look wonderful where the light goes. I'm adding in HB, B, 2B and 4B gradient layers to bring out the details in the stripes and mane at this stage. I'm still working up the finer details with H pencil. There's some smudging across the white so I'll clean it up again with a kneadable eraser. Overall it's starting to come together.

"Flight" - Work in Progress Stage 7

My camera is letting this artwork down. The rendering looks far better in the flesh than in this digital image I've posted. I'm continuing to add thin layers of H pencil and adding in the finer details into the tail hair and mane. It still has a way to go yet with the landscape details being added in.

"Flight" - Work in Progress Stage 6

My camera is not doing this drawing any justice. I'm continuing to add thin layers of H pencil and putting in more detail as the drawing progresses. Still a way to go before it is finished.

"Flight" - Work in Progress Stages 3 - 5

 I'm continuing to refine the drawing by adding thin layers of H pencil. The photos of the work aren't that wonderful due to poor light conditions, but generally you can see the stages of each rendering I've done. I'll continue to refine and clean up the drawing and hopefully we will have a great result at the end. It pays to study the anatomy where possible of the subject being drawn. I've got horses which does help. Zebra are different in many aspects. Wonderful animals!

"Flight" - Work in Progress 2

 I've added in the rest of the stripes and started to refine the shape using an H grade pencil at this stage I'm in no rush to see it hurried along. This is a large drawing on A3 Bockingford paper. So far so good.

"Flight" - Work in progress 1

In between doing the Africa Lion I started this Zebra in motion. They're a stunning sight in a gallop. Like all equid their hooves will come right off the ground at mid point in the stride. This was the early stage of the drawing. It has progressed since then to a more defined shape and detail.

African Lion (untitled) Work in Progress - Progressions

These are the progressions so far based on a Lion I photographed a year ago when I was still involved with Zion. This is a male named Aslan. He was only two metres away (with a fence between us) watching the pair of cheetahs that were in the enclosure next door. At the moment the last image looks like he's cross eyed. I still have to deepen the eyes then enhance the light shine so it gives the right effect. I was asked one time about which colours to use for these cats. Frankly I go on intuition. I haven't had any formal art training. The Lion Aid picture is on hold while I take another look at it then have a rethink. At the moment it's a bit of a creative disaster. It happens sometimes. You think you've got it ,then take another look and it's a complete botch up. I think the other project will be a complete redo, but Lion Aid will still end up with something they can sell on to raise funds for their work in raising awareness of the increasing decimation of these magnificent predators. I do this because simply I love it. Lions seem to me my strength. I had so much to do with them especially in the last couple of years. They were captive cats kept in enclosures so I could easily photograph them well aware of the safety needed even with a fence between myself and the cats. Lions regardless of what people think are first and foremost an Apex Predator, and should be accorded the respect they absolutely deserve. My Ultimate Goal is to one day get to Africa somewhere and see these stunning cats in a wild state.

"Watching" (Working title) Work in Progress 1 for @LIONAID

This is in the early stages of development. It's been two years since I did anything for the great organisation Lion Aid who are a UK based registered charitable organisation who are bring awareness to the plight of the of wild population of African Lions. Once they were in the 200,000 range now there are less than 23,000 left remaining in the whole of the African continent.Lion Aid have been very effective in bringing about changes. They have a lot more work to be done yet. This work will be sent to the UK for auction with the proceeds going to Lion Aid for their continuing work. It's quite large the medium is oil pastel on canvas board. I'm still developing the eye structure and the area you can see now. The drawing is a rough sketch based on one of the lions I used to photograph at a local wildlife park. I'll post more as I go.

Australian Bell Frog

I sketched this little frog that was living in our pond behind the house. Frogs as a whole, are endangered. This species was introduced to New Zealand most likely by the Acclimatisation Societies that sprang up during the early part of European settlement in this country. I have quite a few living in the pond which is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Value your frogs, they're an indicator of how the local environment is health wise. No frogs, could mean the ecosystem is already affected.

Kiwi Sheep

Even in dairy farming country where I live someone always has a few sheep. I don't know which breed this one was possibly Perendale but then again, it could also be the traditional Romney. This is the first sheep I've ever attempted. It's not bad considering. The colours are far better with the real thing.

Kiwi Sheep - Work in progress

 I started this yesterday. The quality of the image isn't very good. I've taken it in bad light which has made all the colours look rather strange. The real thing looks far better. I took a photo of this sheep a couple of years ago. I'm not sure which breed it is but it looked like a Perendale. It's well under way towards being finished. I'll post a better image of this tomorrow without the bad light to spoil the picture.

King Lion

I think I've learned quite a bit from doing this study. This is a partial head study rather than the entirety of the animal. I can see faults already but that is what it's all about. Drawing and then learning from what is being done. I still like it even though it is a little dark in places and more lighter areas could have enhanced the features. It was fun that's all that matters.