Painting a Realistic Leopard in Acrylics for Wildlife Artist of the Year

This is a full length walk-through of my latest painting: "Evanescent" (meaning: Fading/Vanishing) for DSWF Wildlife Artist of the Year 2021! This video showcases my painting process from start to finish, and includes some tips and tricks in painting your own big cats! I hope it is helpful, and you find some useful tips and tricks within this video!
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✦ My Official Website and Art Shop: www.cassydraws...
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＊✿❀ SUPPLIES: ❀✿＊
✦ BLICK ART SUPPLIES:
• Grumbacher Academy Acrylic (Set & Individuals): shrsl.com/3ij09
• Grumbacher Golden Edge Brushes: (All Sizes & Shapes): shrsl.com/3ij0t
• Molotow Acrylic Pump Marker - Extra Fine (White): shrsl.com/3ij10
• Princeton Natural Bristle Blender Brush: shrsl.com/3ij1c
✦ TOOLS & SERVICES I USE:
• Music & Sounds for Videos: (Epidemic Sound): share.epidemic...
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description may be affiliate links. If you purchase a product via the links provided, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel, and allowing me to do what I love to do!
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＊✿❀ KOFI EXCLUSIVES (MEMBERSHIPS & MORE!) ❀✿＊
Want to access behind the scenes, and exclusive perks? Join an elite sticker, and print club? Check out my Ko-Fi Page! Memberships start at 2$ (CAD) a month, and feature all kinds of unique perks and rewards for signing up! Visit: ko-fi.com/cass...
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＊✿❀ ART LESSONS: ❀✿＊
Interested in learning how to paint in acrylic? I have partnered with Etchr Studios, to bring you exclusive acrylic painting videos via their traditional art learning platform! To check out my classes click here: www.cassydraws...
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＊✿❀ SPONSORS: ❀✿＊
My live-streams on Twitch, and my content here on KZbin are sponsored by Chartpak, Grumbacher and Molotow! Please feel free to check out the links below for more information on their products/services!
✦ [Chartpak]: www.chartpak.net/
✦ [Grumbacher]: grumbacher.char...
✦ [Molotow]: www.molotow.com/

[@TaffyPaints]

Hot damn girl. How informative! The attention to detail you've captured is amazing. You never cease to amaze me. Such wonderful and helpful tips as well, you inspire me and made me feel confident to want to paint some wildlife now! LOL Every piece of work you do simply gets better and better. When you first shared the piece, it made me sad. I wasn't aware that was the intention. You nailed it. This definitely deserves some recognition and I hope it achieves the goal you are aspiring to. Amazing, amazing, phenomenal work!

[@cassydraws]

Taff, you are such a gem. This comment made me smile from ear to ear. I really appreciate you taking the time to write this, and provide a lot of wonderful feedback. I definitely encourage you do to some wildlife art! I would love to see that! Thank-you again for all the love. I really appreciate it.

[@tomtop82]

So great, really awesome 👏

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you! :)

[@ashleynapier4026]

"Whiskery hairy areas" Was a highlight for me. I love your descriptions LOL. It breaks it down in a way my brain can understand.

[@cassydraws]

I’m very glad to hear this! I always try to find ways to make it relatable. 🥺

[@becominghero9754]

Your fades to grey towards the end touched my heart so much I started crying.

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you for saying that. I was hoping this piece would really resonate with people, and raise awareness/emotion. I appreciate it!

[@mikescca]

this leopard is absolutely stunning, it was such a joy and awesome to see this piece from start to finish via the video! The details and texture are incredible and you beautifully mastered the fading and message behind this painting! I love these videos where we get to see you turn a blank canvas into something amazing , keep up the great work as always!

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you so much as always my love. I appreciate you, and your support more than you know. ❤️

[@ashleynapier4026]

I love all these videos sooo much!!! It makes me want to paint more traditionally again every time I watch them

[@cassydraws]

You are too sweet to me, Doodz! ❤️ Love you.

[@katcuseo8559]

I love that it fades to black and white. It's so beautiful!

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you so much Kat! 🥺❤️

[@josepeka1189]

I see sonnant variations in the fur which others don’t do enough good work. So alive. Jose from Australia

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you so much! :) Glad you like it!

[@anastasia-qe3ux]

than you thank you Merci pour votre excellent travail. Pour la première fois, je vais peindre un tigre, et vos videos sont très utiles. Ces grands félins sont magnifiques et il faut vraiment les protéger. MERCI et BRAVO à vous.

[@cassydraws]

J'espère que cela fonctionnera et que Google le traduira correctement ! Merci pour votre soutien, et votre gentillesse sur mes vidéos et sur mes peintures. Cela signifie beaucoup pour moi. Je vous souhaite bonne chance pour votre peinture !

[@anastasia-qe3ux]

@@cassydraws 🧡

[@anastasia-qe3ux]

@@cassydraws Merci encore. Votre travail est admirable. Je sais que je vais avoir beaucoup de difficultés mais j'ai la volonté d'y arriver.

[@marshapascoe79]

Oh yes! A very enthusiastic Good Luck!

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you so much as always! ♥

[@rodneyzurek4900]

Very nice work! Realistic!

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you so much! 🥰

[@TheMishka11]

Cassy have just come across your vid as i,m wanting to get painting wildlife after doing landscapes by combining both but failing miserably by not achieving the realism. Your tiger face is just amazing and would love to achieve something close but dont know where i,m going wrong, perhaps just keep going is the answer. Keep up the amazing work your doing. steve

[@cassydraws]

Steve, thank-you so much for your kind words and feedback on this video and welcome to my channel! I’m glad to hear that you’re joining us with wildlife art. If there is anything I can help you with I’d be happy to. Doing studies, and keep practicing and developing a style is definitely something I recommend. It takes a while, and requires a lot of patience as I’m sure you know! ☺️ Happy painting and hope my videos can help you in your journey.

[@mrgesso1578]

The inspiration doe, tis unreal. -bbanta4life

[@cassydraws]

BANTA! You’re too sweet. Thankyou. ❤️

[@baljeetdham]

Wow amazing. Thanks for nice tutorial.

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you for watching, and the kind words! 🥰

[@wecreateboutique1289]

Beautiful! Good luck 🤞❤️🙏

[@cassydraws]

Thankyou so much! ❤️

[@arjunbhandari2466]

❤️❤️ Great tutorial and awesome Art

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you so much! I am so glad you like it. ❤️😚

[@devanandashaji10c75]

superb mam..... I will definitely try this

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you so much! That makes me happy! Let me know how it goes! :)

[@fourpawsfriend1048]

Amazing... Just loved it... U r animal lover like me... Right... 🥰

[@cassydraws]

Thankyou! ❤️ I’m so glad you liked it. & I am! I love animals. ☺️

[@fourpawsfriend1048]

@@cassydraws me too... 😍🥰

[@jaxxie_]

Amazing ✨

[@cassydraws]

Thankyou! ❤️

[@mumtazb61]

Excellent presentation! I thought leopards were brown n white Perhaps grey? Am missing something. Thanks again

[@cassydraws]

Thanks so much. Yes, they are typically brown, yellow, orange, and more natural in colour. For this painting, I wanted to show the level of extinction of leopards by only having a small section of natural colour left - the rest is faded and withering away in grey. Just a little play on words, and visual element I added to this painting. :) Hope this helps!

[@devangibuch2707]

Incredible work 👌👍can you please tell me the shades of the colours you have used and which no paint brush and also the size of the canvas?

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you so much! :) Most of my paintings are completed with: Titanium White, Mars Black, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Thalo Blue, and Mixing White! I believe this was painted on a 14x18" Canvas with Round Brushes (0,00,000) Filberts, (2,4,6) and Liner Brushes! I hope this helps.

[@mjsavard7286]

So beautiful! I really love your process, the details are amazing! Where do you find you reference photos for inspirations? Thank you!

[@cassydraws]

Hi there! Thank-you so much for the kind words, and feedback on this video! I really appreciate it. I find all of my references on: wildlifereferencephotos.com/index.php - where I purchase a subscription for buying my references. If I am looking for general inspiration, I usually will browse Pinterest! :) Hope this helps.

[@kathygore6615]

can you please let me know what surface you are painting on? It seems so smooth for a canvas

[@cassydraws]

Hi there! I am using Artist Loft Super Smooth Canvas! I purchased this from Michaels, via their online shop. I have yet to see them in store. :) They come in a variety of sizes - I hope this helps!

[@barbaracushing7476]

Great video. You were so excited that you reached 1000 subscribers and now, one short year later, you have over 6000! Did you enter for the 2022 competition?

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you so much Barbara! This comment made my day. You are so right! I can't believe it has been a year, and so many have decided to join our family here. Just brings such joy to my heart. I did enter in 2022, and hope to enter this year as well - maybe we will be shortlisted, fingers crossed!

[@marshapascoe79]

Hi Cassy, I'm looking for eyelashes on the animal's left eye?

[@cassydraws]

Hi Marsha! :) If I remember correctly, that angle did not have very many eyelashes visible, so I kept it a larger chunk rather than individual. It has been a while since I revisited this piece, so I probably would do it differently now! :) I hope this helps. ♥

[@marionwigzell7334]

Good luck with it Cassy (-: Marion

[@cassydraws]

Thankyou! 🥰 I will keep you all updated!

[@loopianna]

Fabulous! Love your work!! And I also have a deep love for animals. I do pet portraits. Can you give some advice on highlights on black fur in acrylic? Thanks!!!

[@cassydraws]

Thank-you so much for taking the time to leave such wonderful feedback. I’m always glad to meet fellow animal artists! 🥰 I do have a tips and tricks video in my ‘Acrylics Playlist’ about Black fur! But! My biggest piece of advice would be the colours used to highlight. I try to avoid using pure white, and always tint it with another colour like blue, or brown. I am super selective on where I put those highlights and pay close attention to the light source in the photo. A lot of times I see artists get carried away with highlighting everything, rather than the most important key areas. I also find round brushes work best for me with highlights, but have started using some filberts if I have a larger area to cover. Let me know if this helps or if I can go further into detail! I hope the video may help too. 😙

[@lilyumiremm]

how many hours did it take

[@cassydraws]

I would say this painting took around 25 hours! 🙏

[@ramyaarunkumar119]

wait... why did you color only the face and not the body? anyways, really nice amur leopard you got there

[@cassydraws]

I decided to leave the rest of the body greyscale, to show that the leopard's are "disappearing" and fading away into extinction! Kind of a symbol of their declining numbers in the wild and captivity. Thank-you! I'm glad you like it! :)

[@MetaSelcuk]

MS Edition was here.

[@cassydraws]

Good to see you! ☺️

[@ramyaarunkumar119]

WWF world wildlife fund