I had such an enjoyable two days with you, Jane! This was a great way for me to end 2024. I haven't painted an animal in a while, and it has been some time since I participated in one of your classes. I really enjoyed painting this beautiful Snow Leopard.

Although I found the background technique using alcohol fascinating, I decided not to incorporate it. I used a different reference photo, and the Snow Leopard I chose to paint was a bit larger, taking up more space on the paper, so I thought the background might overwhelm the painting. In fact, I probably should have made him a tad smaller or painted him on a bigger paper, although it just looks bigger after I scanned him. I’ll probably play around with the alcohol technique later to see how it works for me.

I am pleased with the finished painting, and I love how the eyes turned out! Although I initially struggled with the mouth and nose, they eventually came together after I stopped fiddling with them. I was uncertain how to approach the body; the reference photo shows his legs, but in the end, I decided to just simulate the legs. Do you think that worked, or should I have left them off completely?

Well, happy New Year! I look forward to more of your classes in 2025!