Lizard Aggression

I already started on a painting portraying a skull with fighting chimps inside. But I decided to go ahead and start another skull /lizard painting. I was looking at internet images of fighting lizards, but all of them seemed rather static and not real dynamic. I then took these images as a starting point and arranged my clay lizards into an arrangement that is much more twisting and interesting to my own eye.

What I intend to do is work simultaneously on the lizard and the chimp paintings. I'll then take the one that i like the best and submit that for the beinArt Surreal exhibit at the Copro Gallery in Santa Monica ... the painting, which ever one is submitted, has to be ready to ship by early February. This will be a challenge because both subjects will require a lot of detail work, and normally would take 1 1-2 to 2 months each to complete. I will be putting in some serious studio time in December.

Got the studies for the lizard painting to a satisfactory point. Unlike some previous paintings, this one came together after only several thumbnails. I blocked in the structure of the skull for the final drawing and shot the reference photos. The day after Thanksgiving, I'll finish the final drawing by putting in the lizards, and transfer it to a 20 x 20 panel. I will also continue working on the chimp painting. The middle tones of the skull are painted in, and I need to get the basic color layer in on the chimps.

I somehow got quite a bit done today at the studio despite a migraine. I took some imitrex, and lay down for a couple of hours in the afternoon, and was able to work a few more hours.