QAS May 2010 demonstration painting

This reference photo is from the National Canberra Agricultural Show.  Animals are being prepared to be led to the judging ring.  "I took very many images of different  farm and domestic animals - dairy cows, bulls, goats, pedigree dogs.  They make great painting subjects especially their interaction with their minders or owners.  This photo is one of very many of the same subject and was chosen as I will not be changing much except providing more space to the left hand shadow and leaving out the second bull.  Even the girls are wearing complementary colours! "

Drawing, masking and first washes.  "I've created a flare of light over the bull and into the reflected ground.  The water will be mostly bare paper with a pattern leading to the subject."

Second washes to create ground colour.  Some sky colour dropped into the wash and dry brush in the foreground. 

Some intial washes of the rump reflect the sky colour, the warm colour on his back and a mixture of warm and cooler colours for the lighter face, legs and underside.  While these were still wet the strong dark of burnt sienna and cobalt was quickly brushed in.

Skin tones are quite dark against the yellowy wall.  "I've varied the colours from orangey to purple mixtures representing the reflected light from the ground or shadow".

Clothing colours and shadowed folds painted simply and using wet and dry edges.  Colour thick and straight from the tube

Shadows using a mixture of warm and cool - not too dark to keep light and airy appearance.  Reflections in the water varied and simple. 

Few more dabs to mark bottom of wall and added the logical shadow of the bull against the wall.  Vertical marks further define the wall face.  Rubbed out pencil (including the projection lines!).  Cropped to the right and top to emphasise the floor puddles.Signed and titled - perhaps "Bath Time for the Bull, RNACS"