The last several days I have been working very diligently on my Deer Painting that I have previously mentioned and had a rough sketch made out. I had said this would be a lengthy project and it is sure turning out to be but not really unlike any other major painting undertaking. My original thought was to have a fairly vertical painting with the deer ascending a steep hillside sensing danger but not knowing where it was coming from. So far I am calling it UNSEEN BUT SENSED DANGER. After a day and a half of sketching, resketching I decided the whole design was not working as that vertical ascention was too scattered. So yesterday afternoon I scrapped that whole idea and drew the deer closer together but still with the idea that they were searching and slowly beginning to move up into the timber and possible safety beyond. Finally. I think I am onto what I wanted. The canvas size is now 25"wide by 28"high.
After I went to this decision I began sketching the deer out in more detail using my photo research to get the essential anatomy down on each deer. I like to use tracing paper as it begins as a quick sketch then is just easier to overlay with tracing paper and correct what is wrong and keep what is right. This pix shows my detail of the final deer drawings I have transfered to the canvas.