The White Lion, a new addition to my “In The Balance” series.
Oil on canvas, 120cm by 200cm, (2017). See my White lion time-lapse painting demonstration video – click here.
The White lion of the Timbavati area is the same genus as the tawny Southeast African lion. These lions are found in some wildlife reserves in South Africa, and in wild game parks around the world. They were thought to have been native to the Timbavati region of South Africa for thousands of years, although, the first logged sighting in this region was only in 1938. Held as divine by locals, white lions first came to public notice in the 1970s, in Chris McBride’s book The White Lions of Timbavati.
Furthermore, their white color is caused by an ebbing trait derived from a less-severe mutation in the same gene that causes albinism. This gene is distinct from the gene that causes whiteness in tigers. The white lion can vary from blonde to near-white. This coloration does not appear to weaken their survival skills. The white lions of the Global White Lion Protection Trust (GWLPT) have been restored back into the wild. They have been hunting and breeding well without human intervention for a long amount of time.
To paint this majestic animal I used the traditional Grisaille technique. I plan to produce at least 12 paintings of wild cats at this size and composition.
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