Let me introduce Orphee, the bad-tempered member of the family. As he gets old, I decided that it was time to draw his portrait.

Orphée - Oil on Canvas

As often in Dachshunds, he is a very independent dog outside, always on the lookout, he watches his little kingdom, I found that a portrait of his profile corresponded well.

I have deliberately kept his eyes in the shadow of his bushy eyebrows, because it is the image I have of him, and I sincerely did not want to add the little artificial light that added to the eye would accentuate the look. I think it gives him a mysterious and distant look.

Orphée - detail

Here is the finished painting of the approching Lioness.

Hunting Lioness - 120 x 50 cm

Since last time, I added the foregrounds  : more sharpen near the lioness with high grass hiding, then blurry  closer in order to have a depht sensation. The result is photographic like , as I wanted.

Hunting Lioness - detail

For your information, I tested a new way to take pictures with two big spots from each side of the painting. I took the picture with a long time shot and a colorimetric adjustment in photoshop. I’m pretty satisfied with the results of the colors.

So, we have to give her a name. As I did for the others African paintings, I would like to give her an african name with a meaning.

What do you think about:

- “Aluna ” : Approaching in mwera

or

- “Kichaka” : bush, thicket in Swahili

“The Big One” is progressing slowly. I finally got through a step :  to down a notch my scaffolding 

This is not nothing!

Here’s a short video taken this weekend:

I think that from now it will go much faster, most of crackelings of the tube is finished, I  will work on folds, which are much easier to do.

The more complicated here, is to keep the same color, a uniform tone, along with a large period of execution , especially when certain colors appear less bleak when drying.

Credits: Music by Pamela Hute: “Hysterical” Excellent french artist that music to buy here.
http://www.pamelahute.com

From Friday 26th to Monday 29th of march 2010

As each year, and since 5 years, I will present my work on the Salon de la Chasse de Rambouillet 2010. from Friday 26th to Monday 29th of march 2010.

This year, it was planned to move the show, which usually sat on the Hippodrome de Rambouillet, in a more prestigious place :  the park of Château de Rambouillet.

For now, this project is on stand by, some pseudo-environmentalists are lobbying to prevent implantation on the new site. I give you info of any changes.

Find me on my Stand D37 :

If you want to receive one or two invitations, send me an email with an object like last year “Stéphane, You’re the best!”

More info on their website : http://www.salondelachassederambouillet.com/

And to join the Facebook group for supporting the Show : HERE

rough test fromGlen Keane

Glen Keane is character animator for Disney, a lot of Disney movies are from him, for instance Tarzan. I will probably post something on him in the future,but today, I would like to share this litlle treasure of animation with you, that I can’t stop watching.

On my easel, a lioness hunting. I wanted to capture the moment “before”: the meticulous approach, sort of furtive way towards the prey.

Hunting Lioness - 120 x 50 cm

The gaze is fixed, the head does not move, shoulders swaying gently, only the tail may betray his presence, as if she couldn’t control her excitement until her extremity  (wouhaou it looks like poetry …).

Technically, unlike my usual, I painted the background before because I wanted a realistic background, sort of  photographic blur. That’s why I spent more time on it. The second reason is that the background gave me the tone of the picture, so I can better control the contrast of the lioness, both very present and melted in its environment.

As a third layer, the grass will virtually hide the lioness. But you’ll see it in 2010 …

Hunting Liones - Detail

PS: The colors of the picture do not reflect reality,  I really have to invest in a photo studio.

Change of atmosphere, with this new painting. This is an oil painting depicting a couple of mallard ducks.

"Couple of Mallard Ducks" - Oil on Canvas

"Couple of Mallard Ducks" - detail

I painted this from a picture of Stephane Bregeon, and therefore, this is an opportunity for me to talk about this photographer whose pictures are often used on hunting0 magazines covers, the latest being the cover of “Jour de Chasse” : here.

You can see part of his work : www.stbphotos.com

The original painting is available in the Gallery

Indeed, I didn’t posted a lot these days: I am finishing some urgent orders ( for Christmas ).
Meanwhile here is a little teaser: a new illustration for the  “Chassons.com ” magazine

You will soon discover the whole drawing on “Chassons.com”

bonus : the sketch :

Buy online on the Alsac Fine Art Store before the 11th of december , and we ship all around the world for Christmas

During the weekend I reworked on the elephant!

Finally, I attack the trunk, after having painted my “global volumes,” I started to paint the “cracks” one by one. It is the longest phase of the painting but this is also that which will determine if the painting will be successful or not. Hum, I’m going to need your support here …