Friday, March 19, 2021

Post 86: Giraffe Skin Pattern, 10x10 Acrylic Painting: A Series of Fur Skin Patterns

Painting Name: Giraffe Skin Pattern

I sold one of the five in the animal fur series. I may paint this one again or add different ones for the series later.

SKU: 03AV21AC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 10x10 Stretched Canvas

Price: No Longer Available

Edition Year: 2021

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

What Brought About this Painting?

How do you get a life-sized close-up picture of a giraffe in a 10 x 10 inch canvas? See below.

The Giraffe

Photo by Alexander Andrews on Unsplash

From Wikipedia

"The coat has dark blotches or patches (which can be orange, chestnut, brown, or nearly black in color) separated by light hair (usually white or cream in color.) Male giraffes become darker as they age. The coat pattern has been claimed to serve as camouflage in the light and shade patterns of savannah woodlands. When standing among trees and bushes, they are hard to see at even a few meters distance. However, adult giraffes move about to gain the best view of an approaching predator, relying on their size and ability to defend themselves rather than on camouflage, which may be more important for calves. Each individual giraffe has a unique coat pattern. Giraffe calves inherit some coat pattern traits from their mothers, and variation in some spot traits are correlated with neonatal survival. The skin underneath the blotches may serve as windows for thermoregulation, being sites for complex blood vessel systems and large sweat glands."

Quotes

"God is really only another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style, He just goes on trying other things." Pablo Picasso

I totally disagree with Picasso. God created perfection and man in His own image. Just as every man and woman is beautifully different, giraffes, elephants and cats (and every other animal) is magnificently majestic, creatively made and distinctly interesting. Creation shows the limitless imagination of our Creator.

Sin by choice ruins perfection until God restores it one day soon by His Son Jesus Christ.

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Like this painting? Need a handmade, original painting as a gift for a friend or family member? Or if you want to commission me to do a similar painting for you, please contact me through this blog or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt to shop my available Artwork.
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Thursday, March 18, 2021

Post 85: Zebra Skin Pattern, 10x10 Acrylic Stretched Canvas: A Series of Animal Fur Skin Patterns

Painting Name: Zebra Skin Pattern

A series of 5 different animal fur pattern paintings I recently started. I have in mind to do a few more when time allows.

SKU: 03AU21AC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 10x10 Stretched Canvas

Framed?: Yes, in a simple Antique Gold front with Black floating frame

Edition Year: 2021

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

What Brought About this Painting?

I would imagine that most artists like to explore different subjects and ways to show the textures and nuances of those subjects - persons, places and things, and things in our own imaginations at times. There really aren't any rules that I know of, please correct me if you have a different feeling on that.

As an artist that wants to sell her work, I would also imagine that most artists share that desire, perhaps to various degrees. So exploring subjects are sometimes looking for an angle on how to find something different that a future admirer may be interested in. Tougher option to configure, but who knows when something might click with your viewer.

Animal skin patterns have long been admired by most people; we certainly wear it enough. We have it on our shirts, pants, dresses, handbags, shoes, jewelry, gee, everything including our face masks these days.

My thought was why not in our artwork - up on a wall. Whether a favorite animal pattern or a series of them. Thus, I started painting...

Zebra is the second in the series, Leopard was the first.

The Zebra

Photo by sutirta budiman on Unsplash

From Wikipedia

"Zebras are easily recognized by their bold black-and-white striping patterns. The belly and legs are white when unstriped, but the muzzle is dark and the skin underneath the coat is uniformly black. The general pattern is a dorsal line that extends from the forehead to the tail. From there, the stripes stretch downward except on the rump, where they develop species-specific patterns, and near the nose where they curve toward the nostrils. Stripes split above the front legs, creating shoulder stripes. The stripes on the legs, ears and tail are separate and horizontal. Zebras also have complex patterns around the eyes and the lower jaw.

Striping patterns are unique to an individual and heritable. During embryonic development, the stripes appear at eight months, but the patterns may be determined at three to five weeks. For each species there is a point in embryonic development where the stripes are perpendicular to the dorsal and spaced 0.4 mm (0.016 in) apart. However, this happens at three weeks of development for the plains zebra, four weeks for the mountain zebra, and five for Grévy's zebra. The difference in timing is thought to be responsible for the differences in the striping patterns of the different species.

Young or foals are born with brown and white coats, and the brown darkens with age. Various mutations of the fur have been documented, from mostly white to mostly black. There have even been morphs with white spots on dark backgrounds. Albino zebras have been recorded in the forests of Mount Kenya, with the dark stripes being blonde. The quagga had brown and white stripes on the head and neck, brown upper parts and a white belly, tail and legs."

Quotes

I secretly want to be a zebra. That is why I always wear stripes.
-- Louis Tomlinson

God must've had a blast. painting the stripes on the zebra, hanging the stars in the sky, putting the gold in the sunset. What creativity! Stretching the neck of the giraffe, putting the flutter in the mockingbird's wings, planting the giggle in the hyena. And then, as a finale to a brilliant performance, He made a human who had the unique honour to bear the stamp, In His Image.

-- Max Lucado

I asked the Zebra, are you black with white stripes? Or white with black stripes? And the zebra asked me, Are you good with bad habits? Or are you bad with good habits? Are you noisy with quiet times? Or are you quiet with noisy times? Are you happy with some sad days? Or are you sad with some happy days? Are you neat with some sloppy ways? Or are you sloppy with some neat ways? And on and on and on and on and on and on he went. I’ll never ask a zebra about stripes...again.
-- Shel Silverstein

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Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Post 84: Leopard Skin Pattern, 10x10 Acrylic on Canvas: A Series of Animal Fur Skin Patterns

Painting Name: Leopard Skin

A series of animal fur paintings are the subject of this series of 5 I painted. Fun to do.

SKU: 03AT21AC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 10x10 Stretched Canvas

Framed?: Yes, in a simple Antique Gold front with Black floating frame

Edition Year: 2021

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

What Brought About this Painting?

I had an idea to do a series of paintings on animal skins - just the pattern of the fur. Here is the first one, a leopard skin. I have plans for zebra, tiger, giraffe, hmmm. Well we will see how far it goes.

We wear animal print -everything- on our clothes, shoes, handbags, hats, backpacks, lunch boxes - you name it. Whether someone likes one in particular or a series of them, to be seen..

Let me know what you think!

The Leopard

Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash

From Wikipedia:

"The leopard's fur is generally soft and thick, notably softer on the belly than on the back. Its skin color varies between individuals from pale yellowish to dark golden with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its belly is whitish and its ringed tail is shorter than its body. Its pupils are round. Leopards living in arid regions are pale cream, yellowish to ochraceous and rufous in color; those living in forests and mountains are much darker and deep golden. Spots fade toward the white underbelly and the insides and lower parts of the legs. Rosettes are circular in East African leopard populations, and tend to be squarish in Southern African and larger in Asian leopard populations. The fur tends to be grayish in colder climates, and dark golden in rain forest habitats. The pattern of the rosettes is unique in each individual."

Quotes:

Leaping quick on leopard's back / I face the brunt of his attack / In the land of nod I'm king / Until the alarm clock rings Burleigh Drummond

Read more: https://www.wisesayings.com/leopard-quotes/#ixzz6peVyk9u3

Oh a leopard can't change his spots / And oil and water can't mix / But I have recently heard an old dog learned new tricks John Rox

Read more: https://www.wisesayings.com/leopard-quotes/#ixzz6peWAZvos

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Sunday, March 14, 2021

Post 83: Baby Sea Turtle Making a Break for It 10x10 Acrylic Canvas

Painting Name: Baby Sea Turtle Making a Break for It

This baby sea turtle has almost made it to the water...

SKU: 03AS21AC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 10x10 Stretched Canvas

Framed?: Yes, a simple white floating frame

Edition Year: 2021

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

What Brought About this Painting?

After completing 3 small paintings of sea turtles swimming earlier in the week I juggled the question of "one more?" for a few minutes then started this one. Typically, what is cuter than the baby of most animal species anyway? Hence, I felt I needed to do a baby sea turtle.

According to Wikipedia, "The seven existing species of sea turtles are the green sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, Kemp's ridley sea turtle, olive ridley sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, flatback sea turtle, and leatherback sea turtle." Who knew?

Interesting reading - I didn't know that the egg temperature in the nest determines what sex the baby sea turtles are, and as I understand it, sea turtles have been an endangered species for years. And baby sea turtles after hatching have to get to the sea - as fast as possible - as predators want to pick them off before they do. Wow, nature.

So this little guy is "making a break for it" on his mission to get to the sea.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_turtle

Series of 4 Sea Turtle Week Paintings

10 x10 Sea Turtle Blue Swimming

10 x 10 Baby Sea Turtle Making a Break for It

6 x 6 Sea Turtle Under the Waves

6 x 6 Sea Turtle Deep Swimming

(left to right, top to bottom)

All are sold separately, but you can contact me if you have any questions.

See the Painting in progress at https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/2021/03/painting-in-progress-baby-sea-turtle.html

Mini Sea Turtle Paintings

Sea Turtle Blue Swimming 10x10

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Friday, March 12, 2021

Post 82: Painting in Progress: Baby Sea Turtle Making a Break for It

Painting in Progress: Baby Sea Turtle Making a Break for It

Nature really is something. The strong survive, the luckiest or the fastest sometimes too. Or not. "Run, Forest, run!"

SKU: 03AS21AC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 10x10 Stretched Canvas

Framed?: Yes, a simple white floating frame

Edition Year: 2021

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

Painting in Progress Images…

I have done 3 other sea turtle paintings this week so here is another one. Well, I had to have a baby turtle too! Leave your comments!

5:45 on a Friday evening - March 12, 2021 - the window open all day, almost 70 degrees - crazy for March right? I think it was 80, or almost the last couple of days. It is still winter, but it felt GREAT to be outside, doing the mulch thing. And the garden thing. (I'm dreaming of summer tomatoes.)

The Baby Sea Turtle is making a break to get to that water...

8:30 PM March 12, 2021 He's almost there...

See the completed Painting at (coming soon)

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Thursday, March 11, 2021

Post 81: Sea Turtle Blue Swimming 3, 10x10 Acrylic

Painting Name: Sea Turtle Blue Swimming 3

Sea Turtles are apparently a favorite animal with a lot of people. Maybe like panda bears.

SKU: 03AR21AC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 10x10 Stretched Canvas

Price: SOLD

Framed?: Yes, a simple white floating frame

Edition Year: 2021

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

What Brought About this Painting?

I read recently that artists often do theme paintings for a period of time. That it was sort of an exploration in the facets and variations around that theme and/or subject(s). Variations that can include, of course colors, but they can run the gauntlet of positions, textures, angles, emotions, backgrounds, foregrounds, time and space. Daytime, nighttime, sun up, sun down, a little to the left, smile like Mona Lisa, or "just act natural" are other options.

Or as simple as, "I already have those colors out or mixed up, so...Here we go again!". Some subjects are just plain fun or interesting to paint too. Maybe some one else can speak more elegantly on the subject, but I'm going with, again, who doesn't like sea turtles! They are FUN to paint.