Painting a Bull in Oils by Sandra Reeves Cutrer Fine Art

 I apologize right off. I did not take enough photos of my painting process. I get so carried away at times, once my sketch is ready, I can hardly wait to add my brilliant, happy, and creamy oils colors! Truly, on the days I am able to paint, it is like being a kid at Christmas!!!

 I have my  pencil sketch ready on my 16" x 20" stretched canvas. I always keep a copy of my reference photo near, or attached, to my easel. I wish I was talented enough to paint form images in my head, but that has never been the case for me. I love taking my own photographs for my paintings, to avoid any one  trying to claim my work was copied from one of their photos. I took the photos of this gorgeous bull on the outskirts of Fredricksburg,TX. I've visited this quaint, tourist-loving town, on many occasions.I love shopping the old downtown stores, and visiting their great art galleries, restaurants, and spending a few nights in one of the many getaway cabins offered in this area.

Here I have already added many stokes of the undercoating, nose area, ears, and a flow of the way the hide hair is growing on this magnificent bull. It was a bull, and no, there were no horns on him, so I assume he is a polled bull. I have tried to research the breed, but wasn't able to pull up anything that looked exactly like him! I've attached a little bit of facts about that below:Polled cattle have absolutely no horns, nor scurs nor bare spaces where a pair of horns may have been, whatsoever. The best way to tell is if a cow, bull, steer or heifer is polled is by looking at the poll, itself located just above and between the ears. If it forms some sort of peak, then the animal is indeed polled, not horned, scurred or dehorned.

• Many cattle breeds that are being used for commercial beef and dairy which have been historically horned also have cattle which are polled. Naturally polled breeds, though, do not have both horned and polled cattle.

I have worked on creating a soft background, so I don't take away form the focal point- this amazing animal! I was surprised that he allowed me to take many photographs of him, never moving, flinching, or fussing at me.Of course, I was a safe distance away, with a fence between us. He was probably interested in me as much as I was in him, or maybe it was more about wondering if I were a new face coming to give him his afternoon meal!

Here is my finished painting. He sold right away, shipped in a wood frame, and ready to hang. My buyer let me know she was well pleased with her newest oil painting. But, I think I am always more pleased than my buyers, when I can make someone happy with my art work.

Please come back and visit my blog.
 I hope you are all keeping cool during this HOT August weather. I am staying inside as much as possible,although Malee is still insistent that she be allowed to "sun" on the patio. No need to worry, I pick her up and bring her in periodically, as well as make sure she has a bowl full of fresh water, and her healthy kitty food.





Blessings,
Sandra Cutrer
Fine Art