Half-way there

I've had a break from my art, and had a lovely break in the Caribbean. We started in Miami, then cruised to the Bahamas, Jamaica, Cayman Is, then finally Mexico before returning to Miami. I've now overcome my jet-lag/swaying so decided to get one with these guys. This is all about the fur, it's fairly labour intensive, I've been putting down a block of soft pastel, then working into it with finer harder pastel pencils and conte. Three more sweet ones to go!

Furry friends!

Today I got going on my second otter, the fur requires lots of layers of pastel to achieve the furry texture. Starting with a soft pastel, I've then worked into this with pastel pencil, then used soft pastel again to pull out lighter areas. I spent time today trying to understand the pose of the second otter. Now I've think he's beginning to work, I will get on with the back of the top otter.

Otters wip

First otter started, my broken wrist is making progress a bit slow, sharpening pastel pencils is hard, and in order to get plently of depth to the texture of the fur I need sharp pencils. I'm enjoying getting back to an animal painting, I'm just taking my time to allow my healing wrist to rest.

King of the castle!

King of the castle, that's the title my 7 year old son has given this. The drawing stage is taking longer then usual, especially on this pastelmat which is like a fine sand paper that wears down my pencils, meaning lots of pencil sharpening, my broken wrist has been getting lots of physio!

I'm ready for the pastel painting now, I think this needs to built up slowly to achieve the sleek glossy sheen on the fur. I've started to consider the way the fur follows the form of the otters, and how to achieve that strokeable texture!

Otters, otters and more otters!

 In my opinion the more the merrier. There will be a pile of them by the time I've finished! This is going to be an A3 pastel painting.
I was lucky to meet these guys last year, sunbathing in London zoo. The otters fur is so sleak and glossy, the painting has the otters entangled, heads resting on heads, backs and bottoms! All the otters are in bliss, sunning themselves!

I think this is finished!

This proved to be a good challenge to see what I could achieve with a knackered left arm. I finished eventually however it took a while. Simple tasks such as holding a pencil sharpener, and taking off lids on paint tubes slowing me down.

I did enjoy this though, it was nice to get back in the studio.

The one handed artist is still perservering!

Lots of things to sort with this. Some bits to the left I like, lots of bits to the right I don't! Progress is slow as I seem to not be able to work more than an hour a day.