ANIMAL AND WILDLIFE CHALLENGE FEB/MARCH 2026

[Joy]

Liz, that is wonderful and very well drawn. Do you draw in pencil first? That is a very intricate drawing, and the fur looks very natural. The paws look fine to me. What don't you like about them?

So many of you have been so fast! I am just printing out some refs now and deciding on a "plan of action".

 

[LizC]

Thank you, yes I first do a pencil drawing on tracing paper, then transfer it to the paper I'll be using for the ink drawing. The paws just don't seem natural to me, like they don't have the proper curves. I was thinking of doing a watercolor version, maybe

 

[Enyaw]

Looks great Liz

 

[LizC]

Thank you

 

[pcj]

Jade: Mr squirrel is excellent , his eye is especially good.
Cheers
Patricia

 

[pcj]

Liz : Wow, your lion cub is fantastic.
Cheers
Patricia

 

[LizC]

Thank you Patricia

Grapes, I noticed you took a jab at the baby lion, nice work, I like the loose strokes you used

 

[Donna T]

Jade, such an adorable squirrel and I think the eyes are beautiful!

Liz, that’s a great pen and ink. I never go back to compare with the photos so the paws work for me.

 

[LizC]

Thanks Donna

 

[Grapes]

Liz, thanks! Your lion is excellent, l don't see anything wrong with his paws tho. Then again, I had my own fight with paws I noticed they are tricky to draw .. they always are .. also when I paint my cat's paws
Thanks for the process, too. It's interesting to read. Yes, watercolor version could be nice and maybe faster to paint than with oils (which l use)?

Jade, like l said earlier your squirrel is very nice. Cute character. Very well done

 

[Grapes]

I continue my process of learning to paint furry animals and others.
This is a pencil drawing of the white cat.

Sealing (the drawing) is retouching varnish spray. Imprimatura is Michael Harding Italian Green Umber, a paint I purchased to try it out first time.
Now that I will move to oil paints l just hope that varnish holds the drawing. It will bc l put a lot.

 

[Joy]

Grapes, what an excellent drawing. You captured the face and expression so well. Thanks for explaining your method. I'll be watching for more!

 

[Donna T]

Thank you so much for describing this process, Grapes. A sealed drawing sounds like a great plan. Your drawing looks good already!

 

[LizC]

Nice start Grapes, looking forward to seeing how it turns out

 

[Grapes]

Liz, Donna & Joy, thanks!

 

[pcj]

Grapes : Great start on the cat ! Thanks for describing your process, It's
very interesting.
Cheers
Patricia

 

[Grapes]

Thank you, Patricia!

 

[Joy]

Here is my blue spotted rabbit fish in watercolor, 11 x 8, on Arches 140CP. I was determined to do the BG in one go. I tried rubbing alcohol over the wet wash in the BG to try to get some texture, but maybe the wash was too wet. It also caused a wee bit of bleeding of the paint onto the other side of the paper. Fortunately it is minimal and I can use the other side.

 

[Grapes]

Oh, the fish is lovely, Joy!
Your painting has many interesting things happening and interesting to look at.

 

[pcj]

Joy: Beautiful rabbitfish ! It's very well done and I love the background.
Cheers
Patricia