Gurney Journey: Animal Painting Video Releases in 5 Days

The next painting tutorial video is called "Animal Painting from Life." It releases on Wednesday of next week.

Many of you asked for a video that shows an entire painting from start to finish. This video delivers on that request two times over, with a painting of a horse and of a dog. Each painting takes about 30 minutes.

You'll be able to see what I'm seeing and hear what I'm thinking, starting with the first lines of the drawing.

Even if you don't sketch live animals, you'll learn a lot about painting methods that you can apply to any subject.

One painting shows a Belgian draft horse getting washed on the day before the big parade. It's a complex, dynamic subject. Neither the horses nor the people hold still for more than a few moments. That makes the painting process challenging to do, but fun to watch, full of twists and turns.

The other painting shows my son's husky mix named Smooth as he rests by the window. This gouache portrait also develops all the way from start to finish.

Along with painting tips, the voiceover is peppered insights about dog behavior and psychology.

Gary Geraths, Professor of Art at Otis College, says: “James' techniques are not only insightful but his knowledge of the animals’ structure and his love of his subjects shines through his whole painting process. A thoroughly enjoyable presentation.”

Chuck Grieb, Professor of Entertainment Art & Animation, Cal State Fullerton, says: “Animals are beautiful and a delight to see captured in art, but it can be oh-so-hard to do, as they just won’t hold still or follow direction as a model would. As an animation artist, I'm all too familiar with the challenge of capturing a moment in time. The design of the production opens the viewer up to a profound and deep understanding as to how each piece was created.”
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