Step-by-step Tim, the giant tusker

A quick overview of key stages in the painting of Big Tim, one of the last and largest of Kenya’s giant tuskers, who died in March 2020

Step 1: Reference

Step 1: Reference

When I heard that one of the last and largest of Kenya's giant tuskers, Big Tim, had died of natural causes in March 2020, I was saddened, not just for the passing of this iconic gentle giant, but because I never got the opportunity to photograph or paint him while he was alive.
Thankfully, world renown wildlife photographer, Tim Yarrow, had taken some spectacular photos of Tim just before he died (Tim, not David!).
This truly dramatic, strongly lit portrait was my inspiration and reference.

Step 2: Composite

Step 2: Composite

I extended and curled the trunk from David's photo, but otherwise reproduced Tim pretty faithfully, and digitally inked in key outlines to print out and transfer to my light box.

Step 3: Small-scale study

Step 3: Small-scale study

I printed out a 5" x 7" outline sketch and used that to create a small scale study to experiment with color palette and contrast.

Step 4: Outlines on Lightbox

Step 4: Outlines on lightbox

I printed out a 22" x 30" black and white print of the outlines and taped them to my lightbox, laying my sheet of Lanaquarelle 300 lb rough over the top. Outlines can be clearly seen through the thick, 300 lb (640 gsm) watercolor paper, thanks to the equivalent of 800 Watts of LED light.

Step 5: Background wash

Step 5: Background wash

I used a 2" mottler brush to lay in the golden ratio background panel fading from Burnt Sienna and Permanent Orange to Hansa Yellow, and painted the base under-glaze in paler tones of Hansa Yellow to create a translucent golden light to inform the following layers of pigment.

Step 6: 2nd small-scale test

Step 6: 2nd small-scale test

I tested sea salt and glazing techniques for Tim's right ear on a 5" x 7" piece of Lanaquarelle 300 lb rough, and experimented with how much over-glazing the paper would hold and what effect it had on the sea salt texture underneath.

Step 7: Block in and salt ear

Step 7: Block in and salt ear

I block in the basic tones of the right ear, using a 1" oval flat synthetic brush, over-painting the highlighted plane of pale hansa yellow a slightly deeper tone, then liberally sprinkle sea salt while the paint is still very wet.

Step 7a. Scraping off salt

Step 7a: Scraping off the salt

I scape off the dried sea salt after 5 or 6 hours, using a palette knife. The sea salt bonds quite tightly with the surface sizing of the rough paper, so I have to be pretty aggressive when scraping, but the pigment adheres superbly and is undamaged on this superb Lanaquarelle paper from Legion.

Step 7b. Salted ear result

Step 7b: Salted ear result

The sea salt creates a perfect, dimensional "pebbled" skin texture, forming micro blooms and pigment accretions where the salt has absorbed water and pigment into each crystal. The random size and shape of sea salt crystals adds to the dynamic range of textures. Textures are more distinct where the paint was wettest and the tone deepest.

Step 8: detailing ear

Step 8: Detailing the ear

I over-glaze, using the 1" oval flat and a synthetic sable #6 round, and add fine wrinkle and skin pebbling details. When painting pebbled skin over seas salt textures, I follow the topography created by the sea salt an dmereley accentuate the shadows and lines between raised bumps. For even the finest work I stick to the #6 round, as it tapers to a very fine point and holds plenty of water and paint, reducing reloading time and adding a natural fading to the line work.

Step 9: dark side of head

Step 9: Dark side of head

Using the 1" oval flat brush, with Alazarin Crimson, prussian Blue and Burnt Sienna, I glaze over the darker half of the head, laying in some crevices while satin wet, so th eedges of the line work naturally bleeds a bit. I leave areas of background clear to prepare for highlighted bumps later.

Step 9a: trunk detail

Step 9a: Trunk detail

Here you can see the natural pebbling created by the sea salt, accentuated with fine linework to begin to create the structure of the wrinkles on the shadowed half of the trunk.

Step 10: tusks and trunk detailing

Step 10: Tusks started

Here you can see I have loosely created the basic forms for the tusks, and have extended the shaded side of the trunk downwards. I've also added some details to the wrinkles on the dark side of the head.

Step 11: Left ear started

Step 11: light side of head

I glaze over the background wash with light tones of Hansa Yellow, Permanent Orange and Burnt Sienna, and use Alazarin Crimson and Prussian Blue to block in the shadowed areas of Tim's left ear. I also paint in the lighter side of the trunk in slightly deeper tones, as the trunk curves down away from the late afternoon light and I extend wrinkles from the shaded side of the trunk for continuity.

Step 12: salting the light side

Step 12: Salting the light side

I lay in a second very wet glaze of deeper tones to the ear, the light side of the head and light side of the trunk, then liberally sprinkle with Sea salt (a second time) for texture.

Step 12a: Salting results

Step 12a: Salting results

The sea salt textures are much more subtle in the lighter tones, as expected, yet the groundwork for pebbled skin is definitely there. Here I have also just started to lay in key wrinkle lines around the tusks.

Step 13: Block in body

Step 13: Block in body

I lay loose wet-on-wet washes with deliberate blooms to build up the base layer of the body and legs, leaving the front right leg more loosely defined with strong highlights to represent low sunset light catching the knee as it bends forwards.
Then I sparsely sprinkle sea salt for added texture.

Step 14a: Leg salting detail

Step 14a: Leg salting detail

Here you can see larger sea salt crystals. I am only salting the shaded part of the leg at this time.

Step 15: Starting to detail flank

Step 15: Starting body detail

I begin the fine line-work which defines the wrinkled skin along his flank, paying careful attention to the patterns indicated in the reference photo. A sloppy generic cross hatching won't create the depth and contours needed to convey reality and substance.

Step 15a: Completing body

Step 15a: Completing body

I lay in multiple glazed layers, not only of the wrinkle lines but also of the shadows each wrinkle creates to add depth and dimension.
I leave parts in softer focus to imply a sense of depth of field.

Step 16: detailing left ear

Step 16: Detailing left ear

I lay in more glazed layers, gradually deepening the shadows of his left ear, again constantly referring to reference and switching the lightbox on to see outlines of light and shadow planes.
I lay in the groundwork for veins and wrinkles.

Step 17: detailing left eye

Step 16: Detailing left eye

I do extensive line-work and glazed shading to define and add dimension to the wrinkles around his left eye and on the entire lighter side of his head and trunk. With his eyes and wrinkles, I'm trying to create a sense of vulnerability and age, as a counterpoint to the majesty and presence of his pose.

Completed painting

Completed painting

I tweak details everywhere and lay in multiple soft glaze layers to deepen the overall tone and soften wrinkles and crevices, aiming for a natural sunset lighting effect. Hopefully I have captured a fraction of Tim's majesty and presence, as well as his age and vulnerability. David's photo has the benefit of naturalism and authenticity, which I couldn't hope to replicate, but hopefully I have done David and Tim justice.

Step 1: Reference

Step 1: Reference

When I heard that on eof the last and largest of Kenya's giant tuskers, Big Tim, had died of natural causes in March 2020, I was saddened, not just for the passing of this iconic gentle giant, but because I never got the opportunity to photograph or paint him while he was alive.
Thankfully, world renown wildlife photographer, Tim Yarrow, had taken som espectular photos of Tim just before he died (Tim, not David!).
This truly dramatic, strongly lit portrait was my inspiration and reference.

Step 2: Composite

Step 2: Composite

I extended and curled th etrunk from David's photo, but otherwise reproduced Tim pretty faithfully, and digitally inked in key outlines to print out and transfer to my light box.

Step 3: Small-scale study

Step 3: Small-scale study

I printed out a 5" x 7" outline sketch and used that to create a small scale study to experiment with color palette and contrast.

Step 4: Lightbox

Step 4: Lightbox

I printed out a 22" x 30" black and white print of the outlines and taped them to my lightbox, laying my sheet of Lanaquarelle 300 lb rough over the top. Outlines can be clearly seen through the watercolor paper, thanks to the equivalent of 600 Watts of LED light.

Step 5: Background wash

Step 5: Background wash

I used a 2" mottler brush to lay in the golden ratio background panel fading from Burnt Sienna and Permanent Orange to Hansa Yellow, and painted the base under-glaze in tones of Hansa Yellow to create a translucent golden light to inform following layers of pigment.

Step 6: 2nd small-scale test

Step 6: Small-scale ear study

Step 7: Block in and salt ear

Step 7: Block in and salt ear

Step 7a. Scraping off salt

Step 7a: Scraping off the salt

Step 7b. Salted ear result

Step 7b: Salted ear result

Step 8: detailing ear

Step 8: Detailing the ear

I over-glaze, using the 1" oval flat and a synthetic sable 6" round, and add fine wrinkle and skin pebbling details. When painting pebbled skin over seas salt textures, I follow the topography created by the sea salt an dmereley accentuate the shadows and lines between raised bumps. For even th efinest work I stick to the #6 round, as it tapers to a very fine point and holds plenty of water and paint, reducing reloading time and adding a natural fading to the line work.

Step 9: dark side of head

Step 9: Dark side of head

Step 9a: trunk detail

Step 9a: Trunk detail

Here you can see th enatural pebbling created by the sea salt, accentuated with fine linework to begin to create the structure of the wrinkles on the shadowed half of the trunk.

Step 10: tusks and trunk detailing

Step 10: Tusks started

Here you can see I have loosely created the basic forms for the tusks, and have extended the shaded side of th etrunk down. I've also added some details to the wrinkles on the dark side of the head.

Step 11: Left ear started

Step 11: light side of head

I glaze over the background wash with light tones of Hansa Yellow, Permanent Orange and Burnt Sienna, and use Alazarin Crimson and Prussian Blue to block in the shadowed areas of Tim's left ear. I also paint in the lighter side of the trunk in the same tones, extending wrinkles from the shaded side of the trunk.

Step 12: salting the light side

Step 12: Salting the light side

I lay in a second very wet glaze of deeper tones to the ear, the light side of the head and light side of the trunk, then liberally sprinkle with Sea salt for texture.

Step 12a: Salting results

Step 12a: Salting results

The sea salt textures are much more subtle in the lighter tones, as expected.

Step 13: Block in body

Step 13: Block in body

Step 14: Salting the body

Step 14: Salting the body

I glaze over the dry body work with deeper tones then sprinkle sea salt over select areas. For the flank, which is further away, I have crushed the sea salt into smaller crystals.

Step 14a: Leg salting detail

Step 14a: Leg salting detail

Here you can see larger sea salt crystals. I am only salting the shaded part of the leg at this time.

Step 15: Starting to detail flank

Step 15: Begin body detailing

Step 15a: Completing body

Step 15a: Completing body

I lay in multiple glazed layers, not only of the wrinkle lines but also of the shadows each wrinkle create to add depth and dimension.

Step 16: detailing left ear

Step 16: Detailing left ear

Step 17: detailing left eye

Step 16: Detailing left eye

I do extensive line-work and glazed shading to define and add dimension to the wrinkles around his left eye and on the entire lighter side of his head and trunk.

Completed painting

Completed painting

I tweak details everywhere and lay in multiple soft glaze layers to deepen overall tone and soften wrinkles and crevices, aiming for a natural sunset lighting effect. Hopefully I have captured a fraction of Tim's majesty and presence.

Step-by-step Tim, the giant tusker

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