"September Serenade" Original Oil Painting

I really thought this pose and color scheme was cool, so I painted it for SEWE 2023 in a modest size to have another big-game original. Painting any animal with their head facing directly at you is a challenge, particularly a deer or elk. It almost always ends up looking awkwardly symmetrical. So whenever I have a pose like this one that’s close to head-on, I cast the light on one side and leave the other in shadow. The light/dark contrast can help accentuate the form of the head and muzzle and give it some perspective.