Savannah Dawn

A female cheetah called Rani/Musiara surveys the savannah from the top of a small termite mound for opportunities & threats as dawn starts to break across the Olare Motorogi Conservancy in the Masai Mara

This image has been sketched using PASTELS on Pastel Matt Board whilst using a reference photograph courtesy of Chris Trench.

Below is how I sketched the cheetah

I've sketched in the outline with the spots and termite mound and then sarted on the background sky

Working from the cheetah's head down her chest and eventually to her feet

I'm seen here adding some spots around the chest before moving down the front leg

I've worked down the cheetahs front legs before moving on to her back legs and then tail

I've added the body spots before moving onto the tail

Starting to work on the top of the termite mound, which now gives the image some height.

The shadowed foreground of the itermite mound is now taking shape

Standing by the finished sketch.. just to sign and get it scanned

Scanned image