A Whimsical Painted Llama Portrait Creates Smiles All Around

With the wonderful holiday of Chanukah now behind us, we can use this time to create non-holiday specific things that make us happy! It is true, I did create some llamas during Chanukah, and discovered that they are just so downright cheerful that I had to give a llama portrait a try! I’ll admit the background was changed several times before I arrived at this pink, which is just as pretty as can be and looks great as a part of my pastel colored winter themed art. This llama’s name is Millie, and she said to herself “llama lo” (why not in Hebrew) visit the dream destination of her choice, the Hula Valley. She arrived in time to see a very very early bloom of wildflowers, and is thinking about staying for a while!

So dear readers, try painting a simple and whimsical animal portrait, and then give it a name and a story, which adds so very very much! And if you have no idea how to go about this, do consider joining me in Amanda Evanston’s Insider’s group, which I where I learned to paint a llama portrait like this. Keep on reading to find out what supplies I used in this mixed media painting and see a previous version with a beige sandy hills background.

Materials:

• watercolor paper
• gesso (used as white to mix with paint for lighter shades, and by itself as white)
• acrylic paint
• a white paint pen
• permanent markers in blue, pink, yellow, black

This is how my llama looked before she left the desert for the lush Hula valley, I didn’t mind her like this, but the pink background really gives a sweet touch to the painting, and it sure would be a cute print for a baby’s room? Hmmm, thinking about doing that, just be a little patient with me, gotta build a bit more confidence!