Oil on canvas (48"x36"). 1999 Raleigh, NC.
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I tried to depict the siberian tiger in a startled position. The siberian tiger was drinking water and suddenly he became aware of another presence, maybe heard a little sound or some movement cought his eyes. Startled, he stopped half way through his gulp, water falling down from his mouth, eyes wide open to detect smallest of movements, ears stretched out to pick up the faintest of sounds. All the muscles in the body geared to leap at the shortest notice. Tail moving sideways to show readiness to fight or flee.
I wanted to paint at a heigher level of detail than what I have been doing lately. I wanted to draw the whiskers and the hair on the eye brows and the fur etc. I did the spokes in the eyes although due to poor scan and picture quality it's not visible. I studied the rings in the water for a long time in order to draw them well in the painting. I studied the slow motion photographs of water splashing. I added some snow in the water, displaced by the paw of the tiger and landed in the water below.
