3 live paintings of tiger @ isle of wight Zoo

Two preliminary sketch paintings on canvas paper very quick and fluid to get me tuned in, followed up with a longer painting on box canvas, quickly completed with brushes only.

In an impressionisic style that I tend to adopt for fast outdoor moving scenes.

I have completed a more detailed pencil sketch which I am in the process of redrawing onto canvas for a larger version of the stretching tiger.

Box canvas 20x20inches, canvas paper A5 size.

The good thing about this enclosure is you can sit at the back of a seated stand area where the keepers give talks affording me protection from any bad weather.

Painting of Tiger Islands 2 male lions from on site pencil sketch.

From the pencil sketch dated 28 feb 2008, I captured Snoopy and Charlie brown watching intently the passing tourists totally unaware of the raw power these two hold.

I completed the acrylic on canvas in the studio making slight alterations from the original pencil. (24x36inches)

On another sketching foray of these two I was standing close to the fence trying to capture Snoopy ontop of the landrover but he was fidgity and kept moving position, as I fought with the line drawing my head was down making alterations, the next time I looked up he was there, right in front of me face to huge face. The gap between the fence and the public here is very close and we were almost touching.

He stared into my eyes for almost 2 minutes and I could sense his superiority over me, however I was intent on sketching it all down and therefore did not waver my stare, this was not going down very well with Snoopy.

Eventually he moved away with a huffy roar and tail wag.

I heard that when they roar the sound waves can vibrate your internal organs, which makes you freeze for a second, enough time for a kill, like a rabbit in headlights. I am glad on that day he did not roar.

Original painting and pencil sketch nahla the lioness at Tiger Island

From a live study, pencil sketch made on the 2nd March 2008 in the afternoon, took around an hour to complete. It was when I was doing this study that I noticed Zena the one eyed tiger perching herself on her rock. (On previous blog entry).

The painting was completed from the pencil sketch and memory for the colours,

Siesta, all the animals had settled down to bask in the spring sun.

24x 36 inch acrylic on canvas.

Zena, Tiger Islands one eyed White Tiger captured in one afternoons drawing and painting.

From the outset I was drawing the female lions enclosure when I noticed in the distance through the back of her enclosure zena the white Tiger was basking on her rock.

I first made a couple of hurried sketches but soon realised she was there for the duration so I settled down and completed an A4 acrylic on canvas card, from this I completed the 24x36inch canvas of Zena.
The

pictures on the blog are slightly darker,why, I do not know.

Plush Bashing. FAT Collector gets his Grumbly Grimms by isle of wight artist veronica grimm

For every three Grumbly Grimms born the FAT Collector has to have Two to keep his bulbous body big.
surviving Grumbly Grimms by law must not congregate into groups of more than two. If they do this suggests a terrorist act is being planned against the FAT Collector and any Grumbly Grimm suspected of a terrorist act will be handed over to the FAT Collector and incarcerated forth with.
Plush bashed using recycled materials stands over two feet tall.

Original Painting Isle of Wight Zoo Zena the one eyed warrior princess of Tiger Island

Painted in acrylic on canvas 24 x 36 innches. Zena the one eyed tiger.
I drew a few pencil sketches on site then built up this picture in the studio

over a period of a week. She has been very good at posing, the last week has been sunny in the afternoons and she frequently lounges over a large rock in her enclosure, several more sketches are in the process of being upgraded to paintings.

She loves the attention all those wicked fights for dominance has left her scarred or thats what she would like us to believe. In fact she had to have her eye removed due to a disease.

On site life painting of Lemur at Tiger Island Isle of Wight Zoo

On A4 canvas board in acrylic. Why Oh Why did I choose for my first out doorsie painting at the zoo the lemurs.
They move very swiftly and never stand still, the buckets where some of their food is kept is however stationery.
The lemur in the painting is made up of several members of the group who took it in turns to look in the bucket although it could well be the same lemur having several looks. I got confused!
The painting took just over an hour on a bright and sunny afternoon.

Charlie Brown Dozing Isle of Wight Zoo painting of male lion

From on site sketch made on the 29th february 2008, afternoon windy but bright, sketch took just over an hour between 13.30 and 14.40.

the painting took several days, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36 inches.

Charlie Brown was dozing in the sun light, a chunck of meat was attracting the crows but weary of the big brown stone they just circled or watched from timber poles.

Female Tiger (Aysha) painting on site study isle of wight zoo

From a pencil study I made on the 25th February 2008 (top picture), she was peeking around the temple like structure in the Ranthambore National park enclosure.

I have been going down to Tiger Island most afternoons, I now have around thirteen sketches I can turn into paintings.

Drawing the pictures is averaging out at around an hour, the painting of these sketches takes considerably longer and some of my most recent sketches have got very complicated compositions.

Aysha took around four days to complete, 50 x 50 cm, acrylic on box canvas . Finished 3rd March 2008

Tiger Island, Isle of Wight Zoo life painting of lion

Lioness, Nahla does not normally pose, she tends to wander off away from me, sitting in areas of her enclosure where I cannot get a good picture capture. On this day she endeavoured to approach me slowly along the fence.

It was a quiet afternoon and when Nahla has not seen many visitors she is more inquisitive.

I made a quick pencil sketch on A4 canvas card then went back to the studio and completed the painting whilst the image was still fresh in my mind.

Acrylic on canvas 10 x 14 inches

Book Review: The Eyeball Stealing Birdies Story by AUTHOR Veronica Grimm

First feature length book by that completely novice to the publishing world veronica grimm.

Based on the unwritten stories of little missy evil and her caverns of pain comes the eight page blockbuster about the eyeball stealing little birdie that lives in the deep recesses of those caverns.
The book is made from the best quality recycled wood bits, the printing (questionable) was executed using the reverse painting technique, (that is creating art by erasing paint).

The whole book has been shown, there is no missing pages, there is no hidden agenda or secret commands, just a plain and simple first novel, released only via this blog space.

Tiger Island. Isle of Wight. Painting Life Study

Drawing and Painting of Ranthambore National Park Enclosure, Isle of Wight Zoo.
Original pencil sketch was taken on the 20th February 2008, approx started 2pm, took around an hour to complete. Nice sunny afternoon, half term, so there were quite a few people around but once I got into the drawing I was able to talk and sketch at the same time. I was surprized how many people came over and chatted, If I was reading a book or just day dreaming I am sure no one would have approached me. funny world.

From the pencil sketch I completed a painting in the studio. Acrylic on box canvas, 28 x 38 inches.

The tigers were not in the original pencil but the poses were true to my memory. Diamond the male Indian tiger was watching the people playing golf at Browns Golf Course. Immeadiately behind the enclosure whilst Aysha the female slept .
The painting took 4 days to complete.

Marriage in Grimms World by isle of wight artist veronica grimm

Both found in the street, discarded like some overused toy, lived in my box of things to bash about. They were intertwined and I had real trouble pulling them apart.
So if they wanted to stay together shivering with fear in my box, I married them and now they truly will stay together.
Unnamed, approx 3inches tall, acrylic paint, found wire and cloth.

Tiger Painting

40 x 30 inches on box canvas from one of my sketches, a more surreal pose

Tiger Island pencil sketches 18 feb 2008

18th February 2008, first day down isle of Wight Zoo for some life sketching.

Today I did some close up's of tigers and a more in depth drawing of the entrance to lemurland.

approx one hour for lemurland, sketches of tigers between 10 and 5minutes each.

Nice clear and sunny but cold day.

2ft by 1ft paper in leather bound book.

Not my Eye Dammit T shirt Design by isle of wight artist veronica grimm

Limited to ten worldwide. Not my eye, Dammit.... designed from one of my sketches, really to see how it would look on a T shirt, one size XL. I am selling the other nine (Worn one already)
£30.00 each. E mail for payment details tony@fossilshop.co.uk

Tiger Island Live tiger painting

Completed from sketch on canvas 24inches x 12inches.
tiger in lazy pose, eyes shut enjoying the sunshine.
The good thing about painting Tigers from life is their ability to hold a pose, they are quite happy to stop and stare or as in this case take in the sun's ray's for what seems an inordinate amount of time.
I have watched a one armed Lemur at tiger Isand trying to get some food out of a hanging bucket. You can see it's brain racing with possibilities of how to get the food and after some failed attempts getting it's head finally inside the bucket whilst hanging on with its only good arm.
I took loads of sketches but each one was a blur or just a line as it moved so quickly then it was off to its home never to appear again. (well not in the half hour I continued to wait).
I really want to capture that sequence of events and next week I shall set aside some time to study one arm.
Lemurs are undoubtedly harder to sketch than tigers.

Life studies isle of wight week 3

This week I used just a size 8 bristle brush, no drawing just blocking in and building up the tones with the brush.

Time, two poses each approx 50minutes.

I used acrlyic paint on acrylic canvas and paper canvas, two diferent types of canvas to see the benefits of each. Both took the paint well and did not just suck it in.

size: The two smaller pieces are A4 for ref.

little robots day out by isle of wight artist veronica grimm

Little oil slick robots out and about causing hazardous driving conditions on main road from Sandown to our elustrious capital Newport.
How can we stop them peeing oil all over the place.
2 acrylic on canvas10 x 10 inch and6 x 6inch box canvases.

Grumbly Grimms Sudden Demise by isle of wight artist veronica grimm

CHAOS: collided when circumstances met together on a pitch black night.
A grumbly grimm distraught with life throws herself in front of a fellow grumbly rushing to work.
The second grumbly catapults off his bike nearly hitting a lampost whilt a grumbly owl twitters above.
All caught on material CCTV and posted in 3D form at the local Auditorium.
All hand stitched from recycled materials mostly found on the beach.
Size approx 12inches long x 14inches tall.