Patterned rhinoceros painting

Add a splash of colour to your wall with a patterned rhinoceros painting! In this lesson we show you how to outline your animal, create texture using modelling paste and fill in the shape with a vibrant pineapple pattern.

Step 1. Transferring the outline

Refer to the outline image on page 6 and transfer it as well as you can. You can draw it in directly or you might like to use the grid system to transfer it.

Step 2. Applying the modelling paste

In this step we apply modelling paste to the edge of the rhino. The technique is to apply the paste around the outline and then scrape it back so there is a hard edge around the perimeter. The paste is opaque so you will not be able to see the linework but that’s ok in a project like this as long as you get the general shape correct. Lay in some thin lines of paste around the eyes to create the look of wrinkles. Lay paste into any risen areas that you feel need more definition. Let the modelling paste dry before you start the next step.

Step 3. Laying in the background

Squeeze out some Burnt Umber and Yellow Ochre onto the palette. I then use an Abstract Expression brush to paint these colours in around the rhino. I roughly mix the colours directly onto the canvas so there is some texture evident.

4. Painting the under base for the Rhino

To colour the rhino, squeeze out some Titanium White, Paynes Grey and Yellow Ochre. I paint the rhino by mixing the the colours directly onto the canvas again to create more texture. Let this dry before commencing the next step.

Step 5. Adding the darks

In this step we dry brush in any dark areas with a dark grey created from Paynes Grey with a touch of Titanium White. Keep the light source in mind. In this case it is emitting from the upper right, so any areas diagonally below this angle will be in shadow. Don’t charge the brush with too much paint and scrub the colour on and fade out the edges.

Step 6. Adding the lights

Create a mix from Titanium White with a touch of Paynes Grey and scrub this into any areas of highlight. Again keep the light source in mind as any areas facing the source will be in full light.

Step 7. Adding the pineapples

For the re occurring motif to be effective quite a lot of pineapples need to be created, so they need to be stylised or simplified so it’s not too time consuming. The best way to create a simplified pineapple is to use a small round brush and take the leaves out from the centre then create the rough texture with a series of dabs of paint. I have made the pineapples on the legs smaller than the ones on the body. It is best to start from the bottom and move up, the next pineapple will be partly obscured by the first one and so on. Have a look at the paints used in the materials list and try to work through the colours sequentially. Feel free to choose your own colours.

Step 8. Adding gold onto the background

The final step is to add Gold over the background. It is best to scrub this on to create some texture so the background comes through.