Copy Cat

This is a sketch of a lioness with her cub as they walk in step along a ridge

It'll be sketched using the medium of PASTEL on PASTEL MATT paper using a beautiful reference photograph courtesy of Dustin Van Helsdingen.

The following sequence of images shows how I sketched this image

I've lightly pencilled in the image of the lioness and her cub in stride

I've added Unison light 16 as a base with Phthalo blue tint to the upper part of the sky

I've added bushes and lala palms along with some distant hills to give it depth.

I'm adding some background hills to give the image some scale beyond the trees

I've begun with her tail and then I've worked from her leading back foot up her leg

I've filled in the partially shadowed leg, so now I'll move across her back to her head

Working at my easel adding some fur to her upper leg

I sketched her flank, upper shoulders and ear and then moved down her front legs

I've now added the other ear and the one eye before moving across the face

Adding fine fur to the cubs left ear

Completed the mouth of the lioness and I now move onto the cub

I've worked my way from left to right to avoid smudging, as I'm right handed

Having a quick pose with the finished sketch

I'm now moving onto the background and the the foreground details

Scanned by Framers Gallery. You can get a signed limited edition print here >