The Summit Meeting

Three young snow leopards

This sketch is an image of three mischievous snow leopard cubs looking down from a snowy covered outcrop. I've sketched this image in the medium of Pastel on a Clairefontaine pastel paper whilst using a beautiful reference photograph taken by Peter Bolliger.

This ORIGINAL has been SOLD to a PRIVATE COLLECTOR

Below are a sequence of images showing how I sketched the above cubs

I've lightly sketched in the young snow leopards before I start adding in the background

I've added Unison Blue (Light 15) as the background with some distant mountains

The back mountains are now partly done as I begin work on the left cub.

I'm starting to add the chin whiskers here before moving onto its leading paw

I've worked on the cubs thick fur around its neck before working on its front paws

I've now added the eyes and part of the head to the the second cub

Here I'm working on the middle cub's left paw and leg

I'm slowly sketched in the second cub and now have added the eyes of the third cub

I've started to fill in the shaddow on the third cub to bring the middle cub forward

The sketch is currently 24in (60cm) x 16in (41cm) in size

I've added the third cub showing its whiter chest fur, which is hidden from the others

Just adding a few whiskers here and there and now have to work on the foreground

I've started on the base layer of snow and then I'll add some blue to the shadows

Me just having a quick selfie in front of the finished image