Work in Progress

This large painting of a Gemsbok (Oryx) drinking at a water hole is my current project that will probably keep me busy for the next week or two. The Southern Oryx is mostly a desert antelope found mainly in the Namib Desert of Southern Africa.

After doing a rough sketch from a small photo, you can probably just make out the sketch of the reflection of the two antelope in the water. I am now doing the background and will fill in all the details later. In this case the background details are mainly small rocks and stones which are not my favorite subject to paint so I will probably do them last.

Sadly!! because of their magnificent horns they are also a sought after hunters trophies. The female is often targeted for her longer thinner horns which is the only way to differentiate between the male and female. The male has long straight horns that can grow to about 85 cm, whilst the females thinner horns curve outwards and then inwards at the top.

About 100 of them were released into the Tularosa Basin in New Mexico in the United States in the late 60's and have multiplied to about 3000 antelope. So if ever you get to New Mexico then this Beautiful Antelope is worth seeing.

Impala Water Colour Painting.

The graceful Impala antelope is found from Southern Africa to East Africa and can be identified by the thin black stripe that runs along the center of the lower back to the long tail. They also have a distinctive black stripe that runs down each thigh. They have a tuft of long course black hair that covers their scent glands located just above the hoof on each hind leg.

These slender medium sized antelope are only 28" to 36" inches tall and inhabit grassland and light woodland areas. The scent glands are used to mark their territory and herds of between ten and fifty are presided over by dominant males who rub scent from face glands and create dung heaps to mark that territory.

Their natural predators are lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs and I suppose man.

Over the next few weeks I will be painting whatever I feel like at the time. I am not sure why the baboons back looks white on the photo the painting is more of a greyish black colour.