Title: Thirsty Tiger
Watercolor on Handmade paper
Original Size: 36 x 27 cm
8.1.2011
Having explored different genres in content of art I have finally ventured into wildlife. I have used a reference photo to paint the tiger in detail. I understood the need for detailed observation of subject before jumping into doing the art work.
After a loose sketch of outlines of tiger and the banks of river, different shades of green and yellows were put into the forest zone in a wet in wet style and were allowed to mix and dry. Details were added loosely with different colours found in the palate later with wet on dry and dry brush technique.
A graded wash was made in the water body starting with dark green and allowing some yellow ochre being mixed in the fore ground waters. When completely dry dark green shadows were added in waters towards the horizon. Ripples were made with brush strokes in needed direction.Highlights in water were added with acrylic white paint.
Tiger was painted with a wash of vermilion with attention on the tone and also carefully leaving whites in needed areas. Once it was dry added burnt sienna in few area to capture darker values. Used white acrylic for highlights. When dry used a black ink pen [fountain pen that I use in normal day to day medical practice] to draw the stripes. This was very useful in bringing the contours in the form of the tiger.Then used a small round brush and painted the stripes with watercolor to darken the stripes. Added a reflection and a shadow to ground the tiger and link with surroundings. Foreground is a yellow ochre wash with burnt sienna splattered to break the monotony.Finally remembered to sign it with the date.
Hope you liked the painting
















