Wolf:

Wolves have long been a favorite subject of Jan's. After having painted so many African subjects for her one person show at FORBES she was looking forward to doing some more North Americans. Jan gives an annual seminar/workshop at WOLFPARK a facility in Indiana that works with "socialized" wolves. During that weekend they were lucky enough to have snow, and the lake was frozen, so Jan got some awesome photos of the wolves, which excited her so much she came right home and began work on this painting.

Jan knows wolves intimately as she has two herself. She would never have taken on having wolves without her relationship with Wolf Park. Here Jan is bottle feeding one of the two sisters that James and Jan adopted from a zoo that couldn't find placement for them. This is Denali. Jan is wearing an oven mitt as Denali enthusiastically clawed at her hand while drinking from the bottle.

Here is Willow at about 1 year of age. They are now 6.

This is Ayla at WOLF PARK giving Jan a kiss.

Jan sketches from life whenever possible. While this doesn't really have much to do with a finished painting, it does help Jan artistically with hand/eye coordination and observational skills. This is from her sketchbook done during one of her visits to WOLF PARK in 1997.

Here is the drawing done to size for the painting which is going to be 30 x 20. Some of the reference photos Jan took at WOLF PARK of wolves on the frozen lake can be seen on the left.

Jan has "masked" out the wolf and the raised areas of icy build up. She does this so she can paint the background with long uninterrupted strokes leaving these areas clean once she removes the mask.

As an aside: Jan usually paints on a neutral gray gesso. This time she added a purplish tint to the gesso to help start creating the "under glaze color" of the ice.

Jan has begun work on the ice.

Jan is working now on detailing the ice. One technique to create the "sparkle" of the ice is to dip an old toothbrush in paint and run her finger across it, causing an "organic" spattering effect. She uses this same technique to create dirt and sand.

Here is a closeup of the ice area with the spatters.

The ice is completed and the masking material has been removed from the wolf.

Jan has now blocked in the underpainting of the wolf in a dark brown paint, and then transferred the drawing with a white artist transfer paper.

Jan has "drawn" in the hair coat of the wolf using an off white paint.

A warm brown unifying was is put all over the wolf.

Here is the finished painting. It is called "ICY GLANCE" and is 30 x 20".