• Coyote Woodworks Leaf Plaque, No. P119 (11-1/2" x 11-1/2")

• Daler-Rowney System 3D Ultra-Thick Acrylics: Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Cadmium Yellow, Crimson, Mars Black, Raw Sienna, Titanium White, Ultramarine

• Daler-Rowney Robert Simmons Expression No. 10/0 liner (Series E51), 1/4" and 1/2" oval mop (Series E52), 3/4" flat wash/glaze (Series E55), Nos. 4, 6, and 8 chisel blender (Series E60S); hobby brush No. 0 flat (Series HF60)

• Daler-Rowney Simply Simmons Fur and Feathers Brush Set #255400004 (Nos. 4, 8, and 10 filbert comb, 1/4" flat comb)

• Daler-Rowney Slow Drying Gel, No. 128075009

• Loew-Cornell Stylus, Small Palette Knife, Wipe-Out Tool, White and Gray Transfer Paper

• Masterson Art Products Sta-Wet Palette

• Krylon Satin Varnish, No. 7002

• Mona Lisa Black Variegated Gold Leaf and Adhesive; Shellac

• Miscellaneous: soft paper towels, dry palette, tracing paper, white eraser

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1. Basecoat surface with Mars Black. Basecoat tiger with Mars Black + Titanium White (1:1). Use the liner or a flat comb brush to pull out edges of fur. You do not want a perfect or straight edge.

2. Transfer design.

3. Apply Black Variegated Gold Leaf to decorative rim of plaque, following manufacturer’s instructions. Shellac only the leafing.

Floating. Load the brush with water, blot on a paper towel, then load one corner of the brush with paint. Blend the brush on a dry palette until you see a smooth gradation of color to clear medium.

Glazing. Apply a transparent layer of color to an area to strengthen highlights or shadows or to add slight tints of color.

Brush mix. Mix two or more colors together using your brush instead of a palette knife. A “+" between colors indicates a brush-mixed color. Each time you load the brush, the color may be slightly different; this adds variety to the painting.

Using a filbert comb. Thin color with water until the consistency is creamy (almost wash consistency). Completely load a filbert comb, press brush onto palette, and wiggle slightly from side to side to spread and separate the bristles. Gently blot the tip of the brush on a piece of paper towel, then apply to the desired fur section. Occasionally turn the brush from side to side to achieve thinner and thicker fur.

Applying fur. Use the chisel edge of the brush to block in the layers of fur. Begin with the longer fur near the back of the animal, which will require longer brushstrokes. Shorten the brushstrokes as you work toward the eyes and snout. Most importantly, follow the growth direction of the fur. Remember that each section will overlap the previous section. Use the chisel edge of the brush to pull the color onto the area.

Allow the first layer of fur to dry. Use a filbert comb to overlay the various layers of fur with highlights and shadows.

Once all layers are applied, use the liner to add detail. Thin the paint and pull thin lines overlapping each area.

Glaze to strengthen highlights, shadows, or add slight tints of color. Ensure the area is completely dry and apply a thin layer of Slow Drying Gel to the surface. Using the same brush, pick up a small amount of the suggested color from your palette and work it into the bristles. Apply to the moistened area, wipe the brush, and then blend the color into the area. If needed, mop to soften.

Premix the fur values.

Medium Gray: Titanium White + a touch of Burnt Umber + a touch of Mars Black

Light Gray: Medium Gray + Titanium White (1:1)

Dark Gray: Medium Gray + Mars Black (1:1)

Shading: Burnt Umber + Mars Black (1:1)

Highlight: Titanium White

Note: Slow Drying Gel will be referred to as Gel in the instructions.

1. Eyes. Use the liner with thinned Ultramarine + a touch of Titanium White to base irises. Float shading at top of irises with Ultramarine. Float highlights on bottom rim of irises with Titanium White. Add a thin line of Titanium White to lower right edge of eyes. Wipe brush and line highlights of thinned Titanium White, pulling toward the pupil. Use the liner with thinned Mars Black to base pupil. Pick up a glob of Titanium White on the end of the liner and apply a highlight to right side of each pupil, and a highlight line positioned half on the iris and half on the pupil. Apply a thin line of Mars Black around eyes.

2. Nose. Base nostrils and area between nose and mouth with Mars Black + Burnt Umber (1:1). Apply a thin layer of Gel to nose, and base with Burnt Sienna + Titanium White + a touch of Crimson (1:1:tch). While still wet, tap a touch of Titanium White to nose. Wipe brush and pat-blend to soften. Use the liner with thinned Titanium White to add strong highlights at top of nose and around nostrils. Apply Gel to mouth, and highlight by tapping with Burnt Sienna + Titanium White (1:1).

3. Begin the fur.Note: Fur is created with many overlapping layers. Your animal will not look complete with the first application.

   Base. Begin the fur on outer fringe with Dark Gray and lighten as you stroke toward the nose and eye area. As you continue toward the nose area, shorten the fur stroke length. Base black stripes with Mars Black, using the chisel edge of the brush and following the growth direction. Base above nose with short strokes of Medium Gray.

   Highlight and shade. Use the flat comb to add an overlay of Light Gray to all light fur areas. Allow the highlight to overlap the black stripes. Highlight center of snout with Titanium White. Use extremely short strokes to apply fur. Use a filbert comb with Dark Gray to shade above nose and in front corner of eyes. Overstroke dark stripes with Dark Gray. Float a soft shadow above the nose with Burnt Umber.

4. Detail. Highlight under the eye with thinned Titanium White using the liner. Use the liner with Highlight value to add highlights over the fur in some brighter sections. Brighten a few select areas with touches of Titanium White.

5. Chin. Use the chisel edge of the No. 4 chisel blender to base chin with Medium Gray, following the fur growth direction. Use the flat comb with Dark Gray to shade near the mouth. Allow the brush to run out of paint as you stroke from the mouth outward. Use the liner and thinned Dark Gray to dot a few lines on the highlighted portion of muzzle. Add a few final highlights with thinned Titanium White. Note: I do not apply whiskers; however, if whiskers are desired, apply with Light Gray once tiger is dry.

6. Accents. Sparingly apply an accent to the very outer fringe with an overlay of Titanium White + Ultramarine. You do not want the accent to completely cover the under layers.

   Using the liner with thinned Light Gray, begin to highlight the forehead, overlaying the base with strokes of the lighter value. Do not completely cover the base layer.

7. Ears. Apply Gel to ear. Base inside of ear with Dark Gray. Apply Shading value and pat-blend. While still wet, apply Light Gray to outer rim. Pat-blend to soften. Let dry. Pull strokes of Dark Gray from the inner ear over top of the rim. Use the liner with Light Gray to highlight outer rim first, pulling tufts of fur onto the background.

8. Muzzle and chin. Using a filbert comb and short strokes, base dark stripes and markings on muzzle with Dark Gray. Overlay dark stripes with a slightly lighter value of gray to soften. Base light areas on muzzle with Light Gray using a filbert comb. Overlay light areas near the edge of each cheek with Medium Gray. Highlight near the nose with stippled or patted-on Titanium White + a touch of Raw Sienna. Use the liner and thinned Mars Black to add a few darker lines and dots on muzzle. Let dry. Pull lines and whiskers from the chin and muzzle with thinned Titanium White.

9. Eye area. Highlight the light area around eyes with Titanium White using the liner. Use the liner to overlap the white fur above the eyes with eyelashes of thinned Mars Black. Moisten the black area around the eye with Gel. Use the liner to add small dots of Titanium White in the black rim of the eye.

1. Base leaves with a medium green value of Cadmium Yellow + Mars Black + Titanium White (5:1:1). Shade with soft floats of Mars Black, using the chisel edge of the brush to streak the darker value into the leaf to create striations. Do not try to achieve the shading in one float. It should take several layers. Apply Cadmium Yellow + Titanium White to edges of leaves to highlight, wipe brush, and chisel blend. Accent some areas of leaves with Ultramarine + Titanium White and other areas with Burnt Sienna.

2. Base background with Mars Black.

3. Using a large chisel blender, begin to block in the background. Slip-slap the color moving the brush in different directions. Pick up the leaf base mix + more Cadmium Yellow or Ultramarine + Titanium White (1:1), and work into the background. It doesn’t matter if it has more of a green tinge or more of a blue tinge. However, it should be almost black.

1. Details. Allow to dry. Use the liner to add fine detail lines, especially around the eyes, nose, and mouth.

2. Glazing. If the fur appears too coarse in some areas, soften the look by glazing with colors from the palette. A glaze may also be applied if you want to intensify shadows or highlights. Moisten the animal with Gel, work the color into the brush, and apply to the desired area. An example would be the fur above the nose. Moisten the area with Gel, and intensify the highlight by working Titanium White into the brush and applying to the highlight area of the fur. Wipe brush and work the color into the glaze. You may wish to glaze extra shading between the eyes.

3. Apply Satin Varnish when painting is complete.