Struttin'

Some years ago I had a rooster named Rudy that had come into my life for a short while. He was very large and walked a little like John Wayne. He used to follow me around like a dog and even ran a skunk off one afternoon while he was overseeing his little flock of hens in the backyard. I did this pastel last year and the rooster reminds me a lot of Rudy as he would always strut around like he owned the place - thus the title Struttin'.

The reference picture I had was taken outside and during the day on a grassy lawn. I wanted the pastel, however, to be very strong and show the personality of the rooster. With a few powerful strokes of color and a dramatic background I think I succeeded. So it is important to remember you don't have to draw exactly what you see, you can create your own backgrounds, combine pictures, or pretty much anything you want - after all you are the artist.

The original is hanging in my dining room, however prints are available and may be ordered on my website at KarenHargettFineArt.com.