I didn’t make an effort to shoot these photos in ideal conditions, so the quality is less than pristine, but for those who would like to see progressive shots of the development of a painting, here are photos of the stages of “White Buffalo:”
1. I blocked out the composition
2. I painted in the background
3. I added some initial form to the body
4. Here I made adjustments to the form. I made the head and the hump bigger, and generally enlarged the Buffalo
5. I gave him more form by dividing his fur into sections, and painted his rear
6. I painted in his head
7. I painted in the sky again. I always entirely repaint sections, from background to foreground, to bring each up in their development. Also, his hooves have been painted.
8. I’ve brought in his horns, added the crown, and added some form to the cloud that he’s on.
9. I’ve made adjustments to the face and crown.
10. The completed painting, after making last adjustments all around, especially to the face, crown, and cloud. It is only during the final stages that I use a brush. All else had been done by palette knife.