Deer Painting From Start to Finish

My newest completed painting has been in the works for over 5 years! I first began it on December 5, 2012, with the eager notion that I would have it completed by Christmas that year. We were doing a family gift exchange and the presents were supposed to be something that you had made yourself. I got into the project and before long I knew that it would not get finished in time. I don't even remember what my gift contribution was- maybe some homemade cookies? LOL! Here is the first photo I snapped of my ambitious undertaking. You can just barely see the deer's head.

I started out on the blackjack leaves. I found online photos and also drove around our area to get my own reference shots. I used several deer pictures from the web also, putting together the elements that I liked best from each one.

Somewhere along the way, I learned that the blue tape I had around the paper to keep the sharp edge might be a distraction from getting the proper colors, so I removed it. Also, at one point I was dissatisfied with some of the lower leaves, and tried to scrub the color off so I could redo them.

The above photo is from July 2016!!

Working on the background was the most difficult thing for me. Backgrounds in any painting are still my weakest area. I think some of the problem this time was because I used so many different photos to work from and did not know exactly how to proceed. This is probably why I put away the painting so many times and did not get it finished until now!

I finally decided on how to go about finishing the background and the open field. I also decided to try to portray the idea of the deer standing in the shade and having only part of the face and body in the sunshine. 

It's signed, so that means it's finished! Yay!!!!!  I know if I look at it some more, I will see areas that I think may need more work, but I am afraid of making some irreversible mistake and so I have decided to not do any more final tweaking. Anyway, I have already taken it in to town and left it at the framing place! LOL!

This final photo of the finished product was taken outside in natural light. Most of the other photos were taken indoors, under different lighting conditions, and over a 5 year time period! And with different equipment - I used the cell phones I have had during this time, and also probably used my digital Olympus for some of the earliest takes. This last photo is from my newest phone, a Galaxy S9+.

I have been posting updates occasionally on my Facebook page, and my cousin commented that the deer looked curious. This gave me the finishing idea of having the deer in and out of the shade, and suggested the title that I have decided on - "Curious."