Impala in the Game Reserve - Maree

There will be no justice as long as man will stand with a knife or with a gun and destroy those who are weaker than he is.
~Isaac Bashevis Singer

Ink sketch with Pilot Black Fineliner and W&N colour wash in my Moleskine 200gsm (A4) 'Nature Journal'

Another sketch of one of the Impala grazing close to the road in the Krugersdorp Game Reserve. A drive through this Game Reserve reveals all sorts of treasures. We also spotted a huge Mountain tortoise in the distance behind the Impala herd and it seemed to be heading straight for the water-hole, where there was also a flock of South African Shelduck (Tadorna cana), making quite a noise over something in the water, probably a Hippo, although we didn't see it.

Sketching in the Game Reserve - Impala - Maree

The woods were made for the hunters of dreams,
The brooks for the fishers of song;
To the hunters who hunt for the gunless game
The streams and the woods belong.
~Sam Walter Foss

Not far from us, about 10km, is the Krugersdorp Game Reserve, one of my favourite places to visit. We often go to the restaurant they have there and it's great seeing all the animals along the way, about a kilometer drive through the Game Reserve till you get to the restaurant.

These Impala were grazing not far off the road and didn't even look up when I settled myself on the bonnet of my Landrover to sketch them. Other great sightings are the Giraffe, but they prefer to keep their distance and I've taken a couple of photographs, so that will have to suffice for a sketch. Also Kudu, Eland, Springbok, Blue Wildebeest, Gemsbuck and other small buck often graze close to the road. The Lions and the Rhinos are kept in separate enclosures, accessible by drive-through tours via a special gate.

studies after Namibia-Concetta Flore

I have been working from my Namibian pictures, actually sketching from the monitor. A commendable exercise, since you can adjust contrast and values and zoom in for details, which of course you can't do in nature. Also, you have time- endlessly valuable- and don't need a prop for your model since it's already upright. The difference between a live sketch- see my previous post here or my blog Conci's colours- and a study from a still image is striking. I actually prefer the former, though it often remains unfinished, if the model isn't asleep or drinking...
Now for the watermark. I personally don't like them since they create a disturbance within the picture. But this time I felt I owed it to myself, having been to Namibia at a great expense and having my own pictures and studies to work from...maybe I'm feeling selfish...but I think you artists understand.