Wolf
Deborah Trent, 2023 · Watercolor on paper
Northern Minnesota is home to several wolf packs, especially in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and the Arrowhead region. I’ve even heard wolves howling on cold winter nights where I live.
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Inspiration
I follow the Living with Wolves organization in Idaho—their education and advocacy work is a continual source of inspiration.
Artistic Process
I experimented with grainer brushes to vary the fur length on this wolf. My biggest challenge was getting the mouth just right.
- Brushes & tools: ½" grainer, ¼" grainer, Round 1, Round 2, ½" stroke, ½" fan, White Micron 0.5 pen.
- Paints: Ivory Black, Hansa Yellow, Van Dyke Brown, Burnt Sienna, Joseph Z’s Warm Grey, Manganese Blue Hue.
Reflections
People tend to see wolves in four ways:
- the fearsome predator of nightmares;
- the Spirit Wolf, a guide in many Native American traditions;
- the social wolf, devoted to its family pack; and
- the wolf studied by scientists to understand behavior, diet, and pack dynamics.