"Tilly" in Relief - #3

I am not sure that the emphasis on the eyes and jaw is enough for this image.  Several times I have gone back to look at the first pen and ink drawing, which contains much more body, forelegs, and tail.   When I remind myself that the two images are for different applications and different purposes, it helps......

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Notice in the print above that there are shadowed contour lines above the far, flared nostril and around the place where the top and bottom jaws come together at the tip of the snout.  I made a decision not to carve these lines out - at least for a while- and see if they create a little dimension or vibration when color is added.  One of the beauties of relief carving is that you can always go in and take more material away......the down side to that.....you CANNOT go back in and add anything...once it's gone, it's gone!  (OK, it is possible to go back in to every print and draw in a missing piece......when carefully done, it is almost impossible to tell that an image has been altered in this way, as opposed to printing.  Be careful when two prints, altered in this way, are studied side by side, however........)

"Tilly" in Relief - color try #1 - Blacker ranger ink with FW acrylic inks added for all color, on 400 series Strathmore printmaker paper.

Although most of us think that all alligators are green, Florida alligators are actually verigated shades of light and dark gray; think of a pile of sea shells that have been heaped about 20 feet off the highest water line for about 2 years, and you have the color of a Florida alligator.  Above is my first attempt to find a color that would combine stereotyped color AND something remotely close to "color in the wild...."  or....color in the aquarium.

As you can probably image, the glints in the eyes under the bright beams of indoor lighting were very glisteny and white.  The teeth, however, were not very white, but VERY prominent.....think "...the before version of a Sonicare electronic toothbrush" commercial, and you have Tilly teeth.

"Tilly" in Relief - color try #2 - Blacker ranger ink with FW acrylic inks added for all color, on 400 series Strathmore printmaker paper.

While the color variation in try #2  are more visually appealing, particularly on the forehead and eyelids, this version is too storybook in color, making her look less deadly and menacing.