Memories

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Memories (Acrylic on Canvas 36" by 27")

by Herbert Chow

Unless you have a super memory, most of us do not remember anything before three years old. I read somewhere (the source obviously lost somewhere in my memories) that the richness of life lies in the memories we don’t remember or have forgotten. This painting, “Memories”, features a scarred and seasoned lion reminiscing its long forgotten childhood.

I studied various online demonstrations of acrylic painting techniques from well known artists prior to beginning this painting. These references have provided me with great knowledge, especially for a self-study artist as myself. I was inspired by Igor Sakharov’s lion head shown in his YouTube video.

When I’m drawing I always try to keep in mind the realistic aspects of my references. The mane of the adult male lion is rather unique, and is one of the most distinctive characteristics of the big cat. For the adult lion, I had a great time free-drawing its mane and adding metallic gold highlights to show it off. Also, lion cubs are born with light brown rosettes on their faces similar to those on the body of a leopard. These spots fade as the lion reaches adulthood. Interspersed among these spots are short but fine white, brown and yellow furs. Drawing short hairs is like playing surgeon--carefully transplanting one delicate hair at a time. Another important detail of drawing hairs is to make sure that they are “implanted” in the correct directions. In order for the painting to look realistic, the hairs have to be drawn in the right direction according to the body area and posture.

The vulnerable and ingenuous body language of the cub is in stark contrast with the feisty disposition of the elderly lion. This is meant to portray the years of experience and battle that have made the lion solemn and austere. The planetary body in the top right corner adds a bit of contemporary flair to the painting. I hope you all like this painting and let me know if you have any suggestions or comments.