Copulating Lizards

Although I am still working on two paintings, I jumped the gun and started working on the next one; it will show an opened skull with two copulating lizards. This is a further exploration of the primitive emotions which are underneath the cerebral cortex, (or what I've heard of as the "lizard part of the brain.")

I got the preliminary drawing done, but some parts of it were difficult. The male lizard on top in particular was troublesome. The angle of his head is slightly foreshortened, and his mouth is open. I ended up redrawing several components of the composition several times. Had some trouble with the perspective - basically the view is at slightly higher than eye level with the skull, so the "platform" on which the lizards are mating appears very flattened by perspective.

Originally, I had envisioned viewing the lizards in a more foreshortened, face on angle, but it didn't work well nor very believably given the relatively limited space in the skull, because of the perspective. So I redid it with the lizards at a more lengthwise view. The clay model lizards that I sculpted came in very handy for visualizing different angles and views.

Unlike the previous paintings, one of the lizards is actually coming out of the perimeter of the skull. Her toes and her chin will be hanging over the edge. The skull itself has his/her mouth open in an expression of animal ecstasy.