Sometimes I like to step away from painting on canvas and try my luck on other mediums. Wood cookies are always a great choice, the bark makes a nice natural frame and the natural light hue to the wood (this one is basswood if I do remember correctly) makes a great blank canvas to paint off of.
Unfortunately I didn't take pictures of how I went about doing this one, but I made an outline of the image on some bristol sketch paper and then after a little centering I transferred it over with some carbon paper. Then it was just a matter of staying in the lines with the paint, the unfinished wood really sucks up the paint, so every stroke was pretty permanent. I went with the dot shading technique over a blend style shading on this guy, which isn't something I do to often, but I've always appreciated the look of it and have been trying to incorporate it more often.
Now why did I choose the concept? because baritone saxes are badass and I just love shrimps. I was also into the idea of a little shrimp playing an instrument with such a heavy growl. Check out Charles Mingus' tune "moanin'" if you want an idea of the tone that made this painting happen for me.
Thanks for checking this piece out, I hope you all dig it and if you do shoot a follow because I always got a painting in the works!
