"Ponderosa Ghost" Original Mule Deer Oil Painting

This massive mule deer buck has just stepped up for a better look at movement in the distance. If he doesn't like what he sees, he'll whip around and bound back down the opposite side of the mountain and disappear, true to his nickname as the "Ponderosa Ghost". My first mule deer painting of this size, this concept started when working with Winchester Ammunition on a packaging image for a new long-range rifle round. The scene needed to be vertical and the buck needed to look proud and regal. In order to emphasize the "long-range" aspect of the ammunition, I muted the background mountains to make them recede into the distance.