Gouache on paper

Signed on the front.

Merino rams are a favoured subject of mine, especially now that I live on a farm surrounded by large sheep stations. These interesting males of their species have loads of character and can display a majestic and imposing presence. Along with endeavouring to capture their personality, the varied textures and shapes of the fleece, horns and velvet muzzle are a joy to paint.
The subtle colours and textures of sheep are built up with layers of gouache, oil pastels and conté on a pastel blue/lilac acrylic background. Here, I have layered acrylic washes of Sapphire Blue and Amethyst Purple to achieve the desired hue.