🎨 3. The Process Behind a Wildlife Portrait

Each portrait begins with observation.

I study light. Texture. The direction of fur or feather. The quiet intelligence in an animal’s gaze.

Coloured pencil is a slow medium — and that slowness is intentional. Layer upon layer builds depth, just as time builds trust between humans and animals.

Some artworks take 30 hours or more. There is no rushing detail.

The goal is not simply likeness.

It is presence.

Whether I am drawing a beloved pet or a Tasmanian devil, I aim to honour their individuality — their spirit — not just their form.