Monkey on Black Background

Finished Painting

With this project I decided to use one of my wildlife shots to experiment with different papers. I knew I wanted to create a black background on this piece so it was the perfect opportunity to compare the difference between starting with a black paper, or using a lighter tone of paper.
You can see that both pieces turned out pretty similar, but there were definitely differences in the overall tone and the experience of painting them.
If you want to paint along with me you can choose which monkey you’d prefer to work along with. Both are fully narrated as I chat while I paint. It’s up to you whether you use a dark or light toned paper.
Also check out my video at the bottom of the page discussing the differences between the papers.

You’ll find the reference image for the monkey on the first part of each project along with the gridded version and line art. But in the link below you’ll find a selection of photos of this monkey should you want to work on a different pose.