Paintings, Stories and Details

You either love wildlife paintings or you do not. I for one, love doing them and along with aviation art is one of my passions to paint. Also being an African who grew up very close to the Kruger National Park, gave me a lot of opportunities to experience them. At one stage, when I lived in Hoedspruit, next to the park, I even took up photography to capture them. Some of my very first painting endeavours were, where I tried to paint elephants, using rough watercolour paper to get the rough surface of the elephant’s skin. I started a project which I called “The Faces of the Big Five” and then saw a wonderful photograph taken by Ben vd Walt of a hippo and added that not only to the collection, but also to the title.

I have decided to focus mainly on the Big Five and other endangered species and would like to thank all the wonderful wildlife photographers for giving me access to their works and allowing me to paint them. Here they are:

The Story

This rhino is one of a family of three that Elsa Hoffmann saw during a month visit to the Kruger National Park. She published the photograph on her Instagram page, where I saw it. I thought it would be a wonderful subject for a watercolour painting and with her permission started painting. This is the end result.

The Details

The Story

On the Kapama Private Game Reserve site, Liezel wrote: “A Dagga Boy, (“Dagga” referring either to mud or as a slang term for crazy), is a bull who has left the breeding herd in his old age. Usually by himself, although sometimes multiple Dagga Boys come together to drink or eat, he is as grumpy and crazy as old men come, and is constantly rolling in the mud to rid himself of pesky parasites, aid in his inevitable hair loss, or to cool down. Buffalo’s eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell is acute and even in their old age Dagga Boys still have reputable use of their senses, which they love to use to stalk and find a ranger out walking in the bush and then proceed to chase them up thorn trees…Ouch! They also are extremely aggressive if wounded naturally or by unsuccessful hunters, and will charge anything within their vicinity, including getting into an argument or two with unsuspecting trees.”

On a pilot survival camp, during my SAAF years, at Madimbo, with my fellow ‘survivalist’ Stef Kremer, we suddenly came upon a Dagga Boy. He looked at us and we at him. Having not had a real meal for a couple of days, Stef thought that here in front of us is standing enough steaks for all of us, for the whole duration of the camp. He slowly took out his 9mm pistol to shoot the Buffalo. I however, felt less hungry at the time and thought that this buffalo is going to be very cross with us and that we would become the meal, or rather mince meat once he is finished with us. Stef however did not need much convincing to not pull the trigger. We therefore parted on good terms and all could return to their “happy meals”.

Back to the painting. It is my watercolour version of a wonderful picture taken by Cassie Nel  during his visit to Leopard Creek  with his friends. Dankie Cassie!!

The Details

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The Story

Ben vd Walt sent me some of his Big 5 photographs, of which I have painted a hippo and a herd of elephant. Included in his album were some photographs of rhino and I selected two to do and to add to my ‘Faces of the Big 5 and a Hippo’ series.

Here is the first one, a rhino standing in the shade of some trees. The shadows and background were challenging, but eventually a painting that was started at the beginning of the December holidays was completed.

This painting won 1st prize in WASA’s Out of Africa competition.

The Details

The Story

Ben vd Walt’s wildlife photographs are a real inspiration to all who have the privilege to see them when he shares his travel experiences.

This rhino is one he took that drew my eye. The composition, colours and background all blended perfectly and therefore had to be painted. Thanks Ben for allowing me to do that!

The Details

The Story

Flying from Johannesburg to Cape Town, FlySafair published an article on “Lesser spotted Animals” in their inflight magazine. The lead photograph was that of a pangolin running towards the photographer, which I think was Daniel Haesslich.

The photo sent such a strong message of action and determination that I just knew that I must see if I can translate that into a watercolour painting. Little did I know at the time, that much would be said and written about it; as the most probable carrier of the Coronavirus.

Is this creature the saviour of our planet? Or was it only fighting for its own survival and for the survival of all of the members of the animal kingdom whom we as humans are destroying, for our own selfish gain?

Back to the painting. It was a wonderful and challenging experience painting this timid, beautiful creature. The photographer got the lighting and composition exactly right and I tried to emulate what he has done. You can be the judge as to whether I succeeded?

Photo Source: iStock

The Details

While on the Easel

The Story

I love painting the Big 5, especially rhinos and elephant.  This is done from a photo taken by Kathy Ryan that was published on the WWF’s website.  

These magnificent creatures are endangered and as one part of humankind is trying to destroy them, another is trying to save them from extinction. In 2021, Linda Kieck, a friend of mine, as part of her birthday celebration, started a fundraiser for the US Friends of Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre Inc.  I decided, as her birthday present, to donate this painting for her cause.  

The Details

The Story

I painted these lions in 2019 as part of the Faces of the Big Five. See my post of 28 April 2019.

I “archived” the painting and Rosemary Hornby, who taught me the basics and is still mentoring me, convinced me to do some rework on it. This is the result.

There are quite a few more cubs to the left of the big lion and they may become another painting in the future.

Source: Dreamstime

The Details

The Story

This painting is part of the series, Faces of the Big Five

The leopard is based on a photograph by Paul Keates. There are some fantastic photos of Paul’s on Pintrest, which is where I found this one.

The Details

The Story

I painted a series “Faces of the Big 5 and a Hippo” . This is the hippo.

It is done from a photo by Ben vd Walt.

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The Story

I saw a photograph on the internet of a herd of elephant, taken by Martin Harvey. It was my second wildlife painting.

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The Story

Another painting done from one of Ben vd Walt’s fantastic photographs. Dankie Ben!!!

Ben’s comment: “Underground hide: The Bush House, Madikwe.

WARNING: Duck when they throw mud!” 

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The Story

A monochrome rendition of a photograph I found on the internet.

Photographer unknown.

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The Story

Part of my Faces of the Big Five and a Hippo series

This elephant is of a black and white photo that I found on Pintrest, photographer unknown.

It was my first attempt using 640gm rough paper.

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The Story

Flying on BA, I browsed through their in-flight magazine, High Life. There was this interesting article on black eagles and other game in our cities. A photograph taken by Ernest Porter of two black eagles doing ACM really caught my attention and I just had to paint them.

My big five project was pushed to the side and I started painting. I then realised that I had to ask for permission but could not find any mention of the photographer in the mag. I then started researching some articles on black eagles and discovered that the person who took this magnificant photograph is Ernest Porter. Without hesitation he gave me permission and I continued painting.

Thanks Ernest. There is a lot written about him on the web. On eagles, go to https://roodepoortnorthsider.co.za/218087/ernest-and-the-eagles/ .

Well this adult eagle and its sibling really challenged me. Getting the colours correct was the greatest one and my wife at one stage said the top eagle looked more like a duck and that I had to put more work into getting the beak looking more vicious and the talons more pronounced.  Thanks to her I think that they will not be quacking or swimming

The Details

The Story

Faces of the Big Five series

The buffalo was done based on a photograph by Etienne Oosthuizen. Thanks for letting me Etienne.  See Etienne’s work at www.etienneoosthuizen.com.

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The Story

A friend of mine turned 50 and I decided to give her a painting as a birthday present. I asked her what she likes and she sent me some photographs of balarinas and dragonflies. I decided to paint her a dragonfly of a photograph I got on Pinterest, photographer unknown. This is my interpretation and my first attempt on canvas. It was also my first encounter with Daniel Smith’s Luminescent™ Watercolors.

The Details

The Lifecycle