This artwork is both a drawing and a painting of a Leopard that is approximately 9″x7″. Mediums used are brightly colored pencils, pens, markers, watercolor, and a silver paint pen. A few light sketch marks were initially drawn in for reference, and then varying combinations of mixed media were applied in layers. Eventually the shape of the leopard started to solidify amidst the energetic lines, and the silver paint added a reflective quality that is not apparent in the digital reproduction of the drawing/painting. Similarly to the way a leopard can blend in to the jungle environment, the animal’s form is not immediately recognizable in the artwork as it blends in with the chaotic colors and busy line work.

More animal drawings and paintings can be found in the Animal Portrait Art Gallery.

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These two artworks depicting lions blur the line between drawings and paintings. Each artwork started as a drawing of a lion, which was then augmented with watercolors, ink, or paint pens. The first lion drawing was sketched with a pen and thick black markers. A wash of watercolor and ink was used to add shadows and blend the crisp lines, resulting in a statuesque portrait of the lion.

The second lion drawing was initially sketched with pen in an impressionistic style, and layers of paint pens were subsequently added over the initial sketch. The resulting painting of a roaring lion fits the energetic style, and the discord between the primary colors add tension between the lion and the background.

Just a few samples of other unique stylistic approaches to lion drawings and paintings include these lion drawings, a portrait of a lion drawn with charcoal, an abstract lion painted with markers and paint pens, close up charcoal drawings of roaring lions, and a digitally drawn cartoon lion.

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This is an expressionistic painting of a walrus, using acrylic paint. Thick layers of black and red paint were pushed and smeared around the paper to create the abstract and expressionistic shapes and textures of the walrus. The paint was scraped off and rubbed on, and parts of the paper are untouched by paint to enhance the glowing white background. This acrylic painting was created in the year 1998.

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This is an original drawing / painting of a hippopotamus, or “hippo” for short. It’s a mix between a drawing and a painting, because parts of the hippo are drawn with pen and markers, and other parts are painted with paint pens and watercolor. Thin blue pen lines were used to sketch the initial drawing of the hippo, and other layers of marker and ink were applied after that. Washes of plain water and muted watercolors were then painted over the marker, which adds subtle gradients and shadows to the painting. Some of the lines were blurred, but a second layer of markers was then used to sharpen the drawing back into focus. Stark contrast between the bold black lines and pale colors adds tension to the drawing. Lastly, silver and white paint pens were used to add highlights, and shimmering specs of paint help to lead the eye of the viewer around the hippo. Unfortunately the effect does not translate well to digital reproductions of the drawing / painting.

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These four drawings of lions were created with charcoal in 2002. Each lion is roaring fiercely, in a depiction of their natural inclination to hunt and strike for food. They represent a struggle for survival through raw power, not to be confused with perhaps the more anthropomorphizing emotions of anger or rage. That is the symbolism intended for each piece of art.

Each lion drawing was uniquely constructed, starting with thick black lines of dark charcoal. Layers of white chalk and pastel colors were endlessly drawn over one another to create textures and the energetic patterns of their tussled manes. Heavy black charcoal was used around the eyes to draw focus, and the mouth has contrasting stark teeth with a dark interior to help them stand out. Color palettes consist of warm and cool colors, or harmonious and contrasting palettes. But each mix of colors adds something unique to each drawing amidst the similar compositions of the lion’s face.

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