I’m finally back with fresh mojo. THANK YOU for your patience with me these last few weeks since we lost my Mom! It’s been hard but the days get slightly brighter one at a time before they slip backwards again. I know it’ll be ongoing, but…I’m thrilled that I finally created something. A few somethings, even! 

My fountain pens had gone a bit unused for some time; I was busy with World Watercolor month, chased that with the partnership with Olo Markers, and my own family things. But I’ve had a class in mind I wanted to create for winter – and I needed to get the pens warmed up again.

Since my fountain pens sat around so long, I discovered I had to do some cleaning! Fortunately a quick search on YouTube using the name of the pen and “removing nib” resulted in a nice quick result that helped right away. I even took the back end apart in case that’s what was gumming things up! 

I had a course I wanted to start working on, but decided my first project after this time away needed to be something for my heart. Something Mom would have loved. And since she told me she wanted me to create more art with animals….that’s what I opted for. The photo was taken by Robert Pointer, a photographer who’s uploaded some of his work to Paint My Photo. This one was so beautiful. (His original is here.)

Video: Wash and Ink Leopard in the Shade

Watch the video below and scroll to the end to leave comments or questions — or click HERE to watch it on YouTube and leave comments over there. I read both dutifully!

Subscribe to receive blog posts by email:

Photo adaptations

Starting with a photo always presents an artist with a dilemma: What to adapt? How far can I stray? What would look weird?

The answers to those questions come from experience, but asking the questions about what to change is, in itself, a big step away from how can I make it look like the photograph exactly?

It takes a long time of learning to replicate to get to a place where adaptations are even possible. But as you are working through copying a photo or an art project exactly, let your mind wander. “If I could do something different, what would I want to do?” Maybe it’s beyond your skill, and that’s okay. But thinking that way will help you in choosing new projects to try; following a tutorial on that thing you can’t do might be your next step in growing. It could take a while, but it’ll move the ball forward! 

What order to draw…?

In a drawing I knew would take a few days, I made the decision to work on 1) my favorite part, then 2) the hardest part, then 3) the most satisfying. That led me to:

1. The tree branches. I love doodling, and in a murky dark bit of wood, I can let my mind go and just doodle shapes and lines at will.
2. The leaves. With the crazy brushstrokes to guide me, I did have to think carefully about positive and negative shapes, and at one point I was getting tired of them. But kept thinking about #3.
3. The leopard. Rather than drawing it first, saving it for last saved the sheer satisfaction for the end. Along with a huge nuuuuddddggggeee to get it right with the pen and not much for sketch guidance.

Using the shadows and shapes in the paint as a guide for the pen and ink, I worked out some of the big cat’s shadows early on, so once I was putting in the spots, I just fit them into those sections. I could focus on the shapes, and which ones were a little more leaned one way or the other, which sections had smaller spots. Less about where to put them.

Winter Wash & Ink

If you love wash and ink, and want to make some fabulous hand-sketched cards, this class might just be for you! It takes the first Wash & Ink class and amps up the watercolor, letting the ink sing on important parts of it.

Lots of fun with tons to learn – and will help you get a jump on those Christmas cards, too!

$32.99  $29.99

Need this original?

It’s for sale! Once originals sell from my shop, I’ll add them to Fine Art America to the collection of works that you can have prints made from.