“Lioness” : Wildlife Eyecon Mixed Media Artwork by Marco

Marco
Oct 1
6 min read

Updated: Oct 21

Original image taken by Marco the inspiration — Leopardsong Lioness Eyecon 2

Lioness watching from the tundra — Lioness Leopardsong

Welcome to this step-by-step tutorial on creating “Lioness,” the second piece in the Eyecons of the World series, a mixed media artwork capturing the fierce beauty of a lioness’s eye. Inspired by a powerful encounter at Leopardsong Game Reserve in South Africa, this guide will walk you through the process of crafting a detailed and emotive animal portrait using charcoal and pastel. Whether you’re an aspiring artist or a seasoned creator, this tutorial will help you master the techniques behind this striking piece.

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Introduction: The Inspiration Behind “Lioness”

The “Lioness” artwork was born from an unforgettable moment at Leopardsong Game Reserve, one of South Africa’s premier “Big Five” destinations, located just an hour from Johannesburg International Airport and 40 minutes from Pretoria. During a game drive, the roar of a lion pride signaled a fresh kill, and we were fortunate to observe a lioness basking in the sun, her piercing stare warning us to keep our distance. That powerful gaze, captured in the first reference image above, became the heart of this artwork.

Lioness on guard after the morning's kill — Pride Post Kill Leopardsong Game Reserve

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to recreate the intensity of the lioness’s eye using mixed media techniques, focusing on charcoal and pastel on Frisk cartridge paper. The final piece, sized at A3 (297 x 420mm, or approximately 350 x 450mm when framed), is both a standalone artwork and part of the Eyecons of the World Series.

This is the second in the Eyecon series. Lioness is taken from the image above, I will produce a full version of this beautiful animal but for now I wanted to concentrate on her eye only. Wildlife art is never easy. For this seréis I will be working with a combination of Charcoal and Pastel. something of a statement for a feature wall. Lioness is the same size as Elephant , is relatively small, at A3 but framed it will increase to at least 350 x 450mm.

Materials Needed

To follow this tutorial, gather the following supplies:

• Paper: Frisk Cartridge Paper (A3, 297 x 420mm)

• Charcoal: Derwent XL Charcoal Blocks (tinted ochre, blue, white), Derwent Tinted Charcoal Pencils

• Pastels: Soft pastels for detailing fur and highlights

• Tools: Blending stumps, eraser, fixative spray

• Reference Image: A high-quality photo of a lioness’s eye (use the provided image or a similar reference)

• Optional: Frame for the final piece (350 x 450mm minimum)

Pro Tip: The Derwent XL Charcoal Blocks are excellent for laying down large areas of color quickly, while the tinted pencils allow for finer details.

Step-by-Step Tutorial: Creating the “Lioness” Eyecon

Step 1: Setting Up and Sketching the Eye

The eye is the focal point of this artwork, so it’s critical to get it right before moving forward. Here’s how to start:

1. Prepare Your Paper: Use A3 Frisk Cartridge Paper for a smooth surface that holds charcoal well.

2. Lightly Sketch the Eye: Using a charcoal pencil, outline the basic shape of the lioness’s eye, including the pupil, iris, and surrounding fur. Focus on capturing the almond shape and the intense gaze.

3. Add Base Layers: Apply a thin layer of tinted ochre charcoal from the Derwent XL range to establish the warm undertones of the lioness’s fur. Layer blue and white charcoal lightly to create depth and reflections in the iris.

SEO Tip: Including specific product names like “Derwent XL Charcoal Blocks” and “Frisk Cartridge Paper” can attract readers searching for art supply recommendations.

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Common Mistake: Don’t rush the eye’s shape. If the proportions feel off, adjust early. For example, I initially misjudged the tear duct and whisker mound (the raised area above the eye). Refer to your reference image frequently.

Step 1 - Eye Development

Building the eye of Lioness — Step 1- Frisk Cartridge Paper & Setting out

As I have explained in previous blogs, for me I have to get the eye before progressing further. This first attempt was very quickly modified as I developed the shape and reflections. I added a thin layer of tinted ochre charcoal followed by a blue and then white from the Derwent XL block range. I'm beginning to like these big blocks as you can put a lot of charcoal down in relatively short order before moving to the finer details with pencils and charcoal. As a result Ive now ordered the latest product from Derwent A tin of the full tinted charcoal range.

For those who are interested I have included below, at the end of the blog, a list of all the products and kit used in the creation of this eyecon.

Step 2 Refining the Eye

Stage 1 Eye development nearly complete — Further work on the eye

On day two, revisit the eye to refine its shape and depth:

1. Correct Proportions: Adjust the tear duct and whisker mound if needed. For “Lioness,” I realized the whisker mound was too small, so I enlarged it slightly to match the reference image.

2. Enhance Reflections: Use white and blue charcoal pencils to add highlights and depth to the iris, creating a lifelike sparkle.

3. Blend for Smoothness: Use a blending stump to soften transitions between colors, ensuring the eye looks natural.

Artist’s Note: I find morning sessions yield the best results for detailed work. Take breaks to maintain a fresh perspective.

As I have said many times before I always work better first thing in the morning. Looking at Lioness on Day 2 it was pretty obvious a Loy had to change.

Firstly the tear duct area was the wrong shape and the whisker mound above the eye is just too small. By the way I don't know if that's what you call it, whisker mound, but I'm sure some helpful reader will enlighten me. Either way its too small.

I am slowly getting the correct feel of the eye, now I need to expand from this point and start to develop the rest of the artwork.

Step 3 Detailing the Fur and Facial Features

Eye socket modified and whisker mound improved — Day2 Work on Lioness is showing progress

Expanding beyond the eye is where the artwork comes to life, but it can be challenging. Here’s how to proceed:

1. Reference the Full Image: Continuously check the reference photo (top of this post) to ensure accurate facial proportions.

2. Develop the Fur: Use soft pastels and charcoal pencils to create the lioness’s fur texture. Focus on short, directional strokes to mimic the softness and flow of the fur. This step will take you longer than expected due to the intricate layering needed for a realistic effect.

3. Build the Whisker Mound and Eye Socket: Adjust the eye socket’s shape and add subtle shadows to give the face dimension. I struggled with scale here, so take your time to avoid losing your way.

Step 4: Final Touches and Critique

Once the artwork feels complete, step back and seek feedback:

1. Review Your Work: I shared “Lioness” with my wife, who provided critical feedback on minor adjustments, such as refining the fur’s softness and tweaking the eye socket’s shadows.

2. Make Final Adjustments: Use pastel and charcoal pencils to add finishing touches, ensuring the piece feels cohesive.

3. Apply Fixative: Spray a light layer of fixative to preserve your mixed media artwork.

Challenge: The fur’s softness was difficult to achieve. Experiment with layering light pastel strokes over charcoal to create a delicate texture.This eyecon proved to be more challenging than I thought it would be.

To get the facial features to look right I had to keep referencing back to the full image which is at the top of this blog.

Artists Commentary

It's not often that I lose my way in an artwork but with this one I kept working on the wrong area. Perhaps its tiredness or am I just getting old? No on reflection I think its scale. The bigger the image the more easy it seems to be able to get disorientated.

The fur was particularly difficult and took a long time to achieve the softness and shape that I wanted for Lioness.

As all my work that I feel is finished it has to go to the greatest critic, my wife.

I know you have to be cruel to be kind but you don't mess with a 5'2" Geordie and after some careful review and critique we did agree some final tweaks.

So here she is. "Lioness" a true Eyecon of the wild.