Day 25 of the '29 Faces' Challenge: A Painted Lion Rock....

Day 25 of the '29 Faces in February' Challenge.  And I'm tired, people...!   Still, there was no way I was not going to do a Face today, as close as we are here to the end of the month and my record so spotless thus far....

I admit it wasn't the most productive of art days today however.  I fiddled with no less than four different ongoing face-relative projects in the studio today, representing hours of time, yet not getting very far with a nary of them.... that is, except for this wee fellow.  Another painted rock that, again, like all my other projects from my aforementioned 'Pile of Shame',  is one that I'd started years ago (so long ago I can't now remember any detail of how I ran across him in the first place) and never got round to completing....

I think the problem with this guy was that, despite the fact the rock had a really OBVIOUS lion face from the first time I spied it, with the nose and the mane clearly defined, and the proportions just right, my first attempts at bringing him out resulted in something far more 'cartoony' than I was looking for.  And I'm sure part of that is likely due in large part to the fact that I often start my projects with gusto, but without the benefit of any reference material, thanks to my inherent laziness.  So then, when my pieces get to their 'ugly stage' (and they ALL get there, at one point or another), and I'm not thrilled with how it's going I'll just set it aside 'for later' (which may or may not ever come). Well yesterday when I finally got back to him I actually looked up some lion photo references instead of just trying to wing it, which proved to be quite helpful (so much so that I really ought to do it more often, but I digress..).   

Meet the 'King of Kats' :

'King of Kats' has a raised face, surrounded by a lush and silky mane....

3" long by 1.5" wide and 1.5" high

I forgot to photograph him with a coin for size reference, but he's really quite wee....

From all angles he has really lovely proportions. Mother Nature was particularly clever with this one.

This view really show off his exquisite 'lion' shape -- really quite dimensional!

As I always like to say, 'Nature's Sculpture'

Odd view from the back, but again it shows his lovely sculpted features....

 

And, yet once again, for anyone new visiting here is my usual little blurbie about my painted rocks:

...Typically, a rock... is just a rock. But sometimes, when luck smiles upon me, very special ones reveal themselves. Then I 'see' rock people, little figures hidden within the naturally formed bumps, corners and crevices of ordinary stones -- Nature's very own sculpture. With the help of a bit of paint, I enjoy 'liberating' these unique wee folk for others to enjoy as well.....  

 (To see more of my painted rocks, click on the 'Painted Rocks' label for this post -- as well as visiting my Painted Rock Gallery on EBSQ)....