"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.

Shikira 2

Shikira 2 - Work in Progress 6

Shikira 2 - Work in Progress 5

Shikira - Work in Progress 4

I've been using 4h pencil up until this stage of the composition. I've now added 2h, H and B to the tonings.

Shikira - work in Progress 3

Shikira 2 - Work in Progress 2

Shikira 2 - Work in Progress 1

Serengeti Dreamer - Work in Progress 2

Again I haven't been able to get a decent image today of this piece. Things have progressed further now from the preliminary sketch. I've now rendered in the main detail with various shades of greys, browns and oranges plus ochre. The colours in this image are not true to the original work.

Serengeti Dreamer - Work in Progress 1

Sorry about the poor quality of the photograph. I've started a second work for the Lion Aid Fundraising auction for March of this year. Here's Stage one with the sketch and the start of the rendering. Medium coloured pencil on Blockingford Black Pastel paper

The White King - Work in Progress 4

This magnificent adult male lion is at last coming to life. I'm now bringing more definition to the mane and features using various greys and even blues into the mix. I have really enjoyed doing this piece. More so that the I have met the actual Lion this work is based upon. Laduma is a magnificent Lion in real life.

The White King - Work in Progress 3

Slowly but surely he's becoming what he should be. I've never done a white lion before so this is a first. I had to scan him this time because my camera battery was flat. Scans never do the true image any justice at all..

The White King - Work in Progress 2

I can see problems here with this. I'll have to rerender part of it to force the darks out and get some definition. Other than that it's progressing quite well.

The White King - Work in Progress 1

Shia - Work in Progress 1

I'm not certain how this will turn out. 3H,2H and H pencil are being used at this point for the first part of the rendering.

Shia is the sister to Zion. Both were born in 1999 and were hand raised from cubs. Sadly on the 4th of December 2009 Shia passed away of natural causes. Zion still resides at Zion Wildlife Gardens Whangarei Northland the park is named after him.

Shikira

She's finally finished but this photo does the detail in the drawing no justice nor the shadings I'll try and get a better image of this.

Shikira - Work in Progress 7

Shikira - Work in Progress 6

Shikira - Work in Progress 5

Shikira - Work in Progress 4