Gouache on Board (15X11) / I thought I would have a go at painting the majestic lion! The African lion is the only big cat not endangered, being listed as a “threatened species”. Their life span is on average 15 years in the wild with captive lions living up to their late twenties. The mature male lions have a mane which covers the back of the head and shoulders, which varies in colour from the rest of the body growing darker with age; its purpose is to protect the lion during fights. My painting is of Kafara who lives with his 3 brothers at a big cat sanctuary not far from my home. The original is still available.
A snap of a King Cheetah male cub, approx 4 months old. Acinonyx jubatus The king cheetah is a very rare mutation of cheetah characterised by a distinct pelt pattern. Western Cape, South Africa
Of all the times I’ve photographed the big cats, the only time I was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time to be able to capture an action shot, was at the Johannesburg Zoo, when these two had a minor spat. It was all over in seconds, but I had managed to capture enough to be able to create an Acrylic painting from it. I gave the original away when we left Africa and kept, what turned out to be a poor photo of the original painting. I have “remastered” it digitally to try to capture some of the feeling of the original.
Puma, Salzburg Zoo, Austria This photo has been featured in Big Cats
Serval at Rest Featured in For the Love of Cats
A colour pencil portrait of a young tiger. / 12.5” x 18” in size, I have drawn it on smooth 180gm paper and used Derwent “Cumberland” coloured pencils.
Nikon D50 / 2008/09/14 11:25:13 / Image Size: 2700×3900 / Lens: / Focal Length: 300mm / Exposure Mode: / Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern / 1/400 sec – F/5.6 / Exposure Comp.: 0 EV FEATURED IN: / ‘SOUTH AFRICA RAINBOW NATION’ / ‘BIG CATS’ THE CARACAL / Location Captured: Groenland Game Lodge/Reserve, Tolwe, Limpopo Province, South Africa. DESCRIPTION: / Shoulder height: 40cm MASS: 16kg GESTATION: 75 days, up to two kittens. / Like the serval the caracal is mainly nocturnal and solitary. It is shy, lying up during the day. If cornered it will savagely defend itself and spit loudly, otherwise it is silent. It will sometimes purr softly. This animal occurs widely but sparsely in most of Southern Africa; it is rare in populated areas. / DIET: Carnivorous. Rats and mice make up the usual diet, but small mammals, such as dassies, monkeys and game birds are also eaten. This species is more powerful than the serval, taking larger prey up to the size of a young kudu. Also known to take full-grown sheep and goats. The prey is usually knocked down with a sideways slap; the serval uses a downward slap. It has been known to jump into the air to seize a low-flying bird.
Taken at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia Canon 50D – 50-500mm at 300. This girl was gorgeous!
Here is a Sumatran Tiger drinking at the Adelaide Zoo. This photo is also featured in of my 2010 Calendar, Adelaide Zoo, which is available for purchase.
Nikon D 70 Nikon300 with polariser / South Africa / Did not stick around too long
Melancholy (n) 1. a gloomy state of mind, esp. when habitual or prolonged; depression.
I love lions, painted with pastel pencils, 8×10 inch on canson mi tientes, smoothside
This happy??? couple resides in the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Canon Rebel XTi /
Lion, London Zoo, England
A cute tiger cub in a tree. Painted with pastel pencils and with a touch of pastel sticks, 11×13.5 inches on canson mi tientes paper, smoothside.
Tiger, London Zoo, England
Oil painting – for my Out of Africa Exhibition.
Lion Sands, Sabi Sands, South Africa
Camera: Nikon D40 / Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1250) / Aperture: f/5.6 / Focal Length: 300 mm / ISO Speed: 200 / Exposure Bias: 0 EV / Flash: No Flash
Dedicated to photographs and art featuring the Big Cats:
Lions, Tigers, Cougars, Leopards, Jaguars etc.
African Wild Cat/African Golden Cat/Andean Mountain Cat/Asian Leopard Cat/Bay Cat/Black-Footed Cat/Bobcat/Caracal/Cheetah/Chinese Desert Cat/Clouded Leopard/Cougar/European Wildcat/Fishing Cat/Flat-Headed Cat/Geoffroy’s Cat/Irimote Cat/Jaguar/Janguarundi/Jungle Cat/Kodkod/Leopard/Lion/Lynx-Canadian, Eurasian and Iberian/Marbled Cat/Margay/Ocelot/Oncilla/Pallas Cat/Pampas Cat/Rusty-Spotted Cat/Sand Cat/Serval/Snow Leopard/Temminck’s Golden Cat/Tiger
Although some of the felines listed above are smaller than others, they are none-the-less wild and exotic. Please, NO images of domestic cats (large or small).
All forms of art relating to the Big Cats are welcome here – Photographs, Paintings, T-Shirts, Sculptures, Writings etc.
Art derived from Zoological Parks, Conservation Centers or Wildlife Parks are permitted alongside works from their natural habitat.
Also, your joining this group tells us that you are as concerned about the destruction and extinction of all our worlds creatures as are our members. Please consider donating some of the proceeds of your sales to help these wonderful creatures.
Warm regards,
Jon, Krys and Jo
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