This image may seem strange, considering I live in the PNW, but I did spend a few months living in Peru. This was taken at Machu Picchu with a llama that was literally on the edge of a terrace and so it seemed, its temper. I honestly wondered how many tourists had been bumped off by these animals. It didn’t stop me from grabbing a picture, but concerns about llama justice became a running commentary through the remainder of our time there.
There’s never a non-zero chance of llama murder.
The first attempt was a watercolor sketch. However, my initial background wash wasn’t perfect. I was attempting a smooth yellow to green transition. Sigh. It’s never as easy as you’d think. I didn’t grab a picture of that because I don’t always remember, but it was embarrassingly bad.
I thought that I could throw some acrylics over the watercolor and be okay with it peeping through the paint. What I didn’t check before I started was how much white I had, which wasn’t enough for the llama. I wasn’t loving the brown, so I picked up some translucent purple to contrast with the yellow background. Excellent color theory, but I wasn’t pleased with the results. The llama coat looked bitty to me and he looked chonky.
Also, I was having a hate-hate moment with the grass, so the grass looks angry to me.
By necessity, the llama would stay non-white. I mean, I could’ve dumped a bunch of oil pastel on top of that purple, but why? Not all llamas have this much white. Added colors and blended like crazy, though I’m now wearing more oil pastel than is on this picture. Also, I’ve ruined another pair of jeans with acrylics.
I think the crop on this llama makes it look chonkier than it should be, but I am pleased with the side-eye effect. Behold, Llama Justice!
On to the next one.
