Tree Trouble

This is a sketch of a pair of mischievous leopards playing in the fork of an old tree.

It has been sketched using the medium of PASTEL on PASTELMATT paper, whilst using a beautiful reference photograph courtesy of Pravir Patel.

Below are a few of the images showing the sequence of how I sketched it.

I've sketched in the leopard cub's markings, their eyes and some of the of the tree bark

I've now added the dappled background using Unison Light Blue 15, Unison Green 24 and also the darker Unison Green 25. I've also started working on the ears and neck

Gradually I'm working on the upper cub's face and cheek

Here I'm standing at my No2 easle working on the paw of the top leopard

That's the ruff of the neck as I worked across the image to it's shoulder and then the leg

I have now added the lower cub's right foreleg, it's ear and I'm now working on the eyes

Here I'm starting to work on the face of the lower leopard

Slowly the lower leopard is starting to take shape as I work in more detail on it's face

I've slowly added the lower leg to the tangled mass of spots and whiskers.

Here I'm working at my easel adding highlights to the top leopards fur

Gradually I'm building in the bark of the tree on the left of the image

I've gradually filled in the bark of the tree on the right hand side

That's the image now finished and signed and still on the board.

The scanned image. You can get a signed limited edition print here >