This unique drawing was another wolf that I drew in November of 2023. The wolf in the drawing is based off of a personal spirit guide of mine, which features a grey wolf carrying a lantern. His purpose is to guide you through troubled times and provide a beacon of hope in the darkness. I wrote a short poem about him:
Traversing liminal spaces of my mind Through foggy realms I roam In the distance a golden light shines A beacon for the pathway home
This wolf specifically is kind of a private emblem of mine, although I had not drawn him before. I have a few ideas for paintings featuring this wolf, and I hope he can show up again in my artwork in the future.
This drawing was made with Prismacolor colored pencils on a 9×12 inch sheet of tan colored Strathmore drawing paper. Though I loved how the drawing turned out, I wanted to try to simulate a glowing effect with the lantern. So I used an image editing program, and selected a circle around the lantern with a large feather, kept that and everything outside that circle was adjusted to be darker and more blue colored. This gave the effect of the lantern glowing, and the blue shifted background and wolf gave a sense of depth and coolness to the surroundings, as if he was emerging from a foggy realm.
The original drawing can be seen below:
I love the richness and details in the wolf’s fur here, but the lantern effect was not prominent in the original drawing, and so it did not turn out as I had expected. However, I do love both versions of this drawing.
The wolf was based very loosely on photos of wolves walking in profile that I found in various places online, and modified the markings and legs, and of course added the lantern to his mouth.
This unique painting is titled “Raven Placing the Stars”. It was created with acrylic paints on a 16″ x 20″ linen canvas panel, and completed in September 2023. It features a raven flying in the night sky among the stars, carrying a glowing orb in their beak, intending to place the glowing sphere in the sky as a star. I used a limited color palette consisting of mostly purples, blues, magenta, hot pink, and a touch of teal. I used the following reference photos: Carrion Crow in Flight by Aschi on Paint my Photo for the wings, and Raven by Linda Anderson on Paint my Photo for the head. I used a beat up old brush with splayed bristles to create the texture in the sky, and the stars were created by splattering titanium white paint on the canvas.
This painting is one in a series of mystical galaxy themed animal artworks that I have created over the years. I love combining the beautiful scenery of outer space with colorful animals in a slightly fantasy style painting that evokes feelings of awe and wonder. Other paintings in this series can be seen below.
Raven Placing the Stars
"Raven Placing the Stars" Acrylic painting on linen panel, 16" x 20"
I Saw You In My Dream - White Wolf
"I Saw You In My Dream" - a colorful portrait of a white wolf in bright green, teal, blue, violet, purple, and magenta, with a starry background. Acrylics on 16x20 stretched linen canvas.
Salem the Schnoodle
A colorful pet portrait of a cute black schnoodle named Salem in bright colors with a starry background. Acrylics on 12x16 canvas, 2023.
Stargazing - Colorful Black Leopard
A colorful portrait of a black leopard in vibrant blue, purple, and magenta colors against a starry night sky. Original painting with acrylic paints on wood panel, 11" x 14", completed April 30, 2021. Photo reference by Olivia Moylan.
Galaxy
Galaxy starry cosmic background
Colorful Pet Portrait - Buddy the Goldendoodle
A colorful pet portrait of a Goldendoodle named Buddy in bright rainbow colors. Acrylic painting on 11" x 14" stretched canvas. Completed July 27, 2020.
This unique and colorful artwork is available as an art print and more in my online stores. Please read below to learn more about my stores and what products are available in each.
RebeccaWangArt.com is my main art print store, and here you can find this artwork available on a variety of wall art print types, including giclee paper, canvas, acrylic, wood, and metal, with hundreds of framing options and in a huge selection of sizes, ranging from 8″ x 6.5″ all the way to 60″ x 46″. This artwork is also available on a variety of home decor and gift products, such as tote bags, fleece blankets, greeting cards, phone cases, throw pillows, duvet covers, shower curtains, zipper pouches, beach towels, apparel, coffee mugs, spiral notebooks, wall tapestries, jigsaw puzzles, stickers, and ornaments.
My RedBubble Store has a lot of wall art options, as well as home decor and gifts. They also have mouse pads, hats, pet mats, laptop skins and sleeves, bath mats, wall clocks, coasters, magnets, and a huge selection of t-shirts.
An ethereal wolf spirit appears in front of you, asking you to follow him wherever he leads. Do you take him up on his offer, or let him vanish into the ether?
This painting is of a creature that I love more than any other, yet does not feature much in my art. Probably due to my art teachers telling me that I needed to not draw only a single subject, and instead expand my horizons. However, after years of not drawing or painting wolves, I think it is time I revisit this amazing creature. The painting was based on this photograph of a white wolf looking over his shoulder, perhaps beckoning you to follow him. I created the painting with acrylic paints on a 16×20 stretched linen canvas, and it was completed in June 2023. It features a mostly cool color scheme, including teal, blue, violet, purple and magenta, against a starry night sky background. He (or she) has a glowing effect around the edges, giving just a hint that this is not a real wolf, but instead a spirit animal. The piercing yellow eyes stand out against the blues and purples, and seem to stare straight into your soul.
I titled this painting “I Saw You In My Dream” because to me the wolf seemed like he came right out of a dream, not quite real. A white wolf that visits you when you dream, to watch over you on your nightly journey through the vast expanses of your subconscious. A guardian spirit to help you on your path through life.
This unique artwork is available for purchase as an art print and other merchandise in my online stores. Please continue reading to learn about all the products available in each store.
Fine Art Prints
This artwork is available in my fine art prints store on various wall art options. It is available in sizes ranging from 6″ x 8″ all the way up to 48″ x 60″. You can choose giclee paper prints with hundreds of options for matting and framing. Of you can order a ready to hang print on canvas, acrylic, metal, or wood. It is also available as home decor and gift products, such as greeting cards, phone cases, throw pillows, duvet covers, shower curtains, tote bags, zipper pouches, beach and bath towels, apparel, coffee mugs, yoga mats, spiral notebooks, fleece blankets, tapestries, jigsaw puzzles, stickers and ornaments.
RedBubble Gifts and More
If you are looking for more options, you can visit my RedBubble store. In this store are many more options for shirts and apparel, including hats, scarves, hoodies, sweatshirts, tank tops, dresses, baby and kids clothes, masks, and aprons. Also in this store are pet goods such as mats and blankets; electronic goods such as mouse pads, desk mats, phone cases and skins, laptop sleeves and skins, and ipad cases. There are home decor items such as blankets, curtains, mats, clocks, comforters, coasters, and pillows. There is also an assortment of stickers and magnets.
Etsy Store
In my Etsy Shop I have a few select products for sale. There are plush minky fleece blankets with single and double sided print and also the option to choose a solid color for the back. These are available in 3 sizes. I also have accent mugs with a color on the inside and on the handle. There are spiral notebooks with the option for personalization. I have tote bags in three sizes. There is a jigsaw puzzle also available in three sizes. I have garden and house flags in two different sizes. And vinyl stickers in 4 sizes.
I am excited to add this colorful black leopard painting to my Wild Felines portfolio! This painting features a colorful portrait of a resting black leopard in vibrant blue, purple, and magenta colors with a starry night sky as the background. The title of the artwork is “Stargazing”, and is a great description of this fantasy style artwork. It was created with acrylic paints on an 11″ x 14″ wood panel, and finished on April 30, 2021. I had the idea of painting a black leopard for quite a long time, and finally got around to it while taking a short break in between pet portrait commissions. The photo reference for the artwork is credited to Olivia Moylan of Hoofbeats and Pawprints Photography. A larger version of the painting can be seen in my Portfolio. Select closeup views of the painting can be viewed below.
I particularly liked the way my Cosmic White Tiger painting turned out and wanted to add more “cosmic wild felines” to my big cats painting series. Typically, when I create a painting, I like the background to contrast with the subject. So a light colored subject will have a dark background, and a dark subject will have a light background, usually with a complementary color. However, for this one, I thought the dramatic effect of having a black leopard on a dark colored background would be stunning. The edges of the leopard’s outline are highlighted in white and light blue, and softened giving it a kind of glowing effect. The bright yellow eyes are a sharp contrast to the blues and purples, and stand out from the rest of the painting. The dreamy effect with the eyes and the colors gives this a fantasy feel while still maintaining a sense of realism.
The majority of the leopard was painted with medium and dark blues and purples, with some fluorescent pink added here and there as a lowlight for some warmth. The hot pink was also repeated in the background, giving the horizon a kind of glowing twilight effect, like what you would see in a dark night sky just after sunset but just before the light went away entirely. The stars add an extra dimension to the painting, and make the background more interesting as well as adding a fantasy effect. The branch that the leopard is laying on was also done in various shades of brown with some amber, blue, and pink highlights, which also adds a bit of subtle warmth to that part of the painting.
My Wild Felines series is slowly coming along. I plan to eventually add more paintings of wild felids, including finishing the rest of the Big Cats by adding the clouded leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, and cougar. I would also like to re-do another spotted leopard in my updated style. I will also be adding some of the smaller cat species, like the bobcat, lynx, serval, ocelot, and some lesser known species like the fishing cat, margay, and kodkod. There are 34 species in the Felidae family so I will have plenty of material for future paintings!
Art Prints and More
This original painting is available in my various online stores as art prints and other merchandise. Please read the information below to learn about what is in each store.
Beautiful Wall Art for your Home Decor
For the largest selection of wall art prints, please visit my Pixels store. In this store you can find art prints in dozens of size choices with hundreds of options for framing and mat color. You can also get a print on stretched canvas, acrylic, metal, wood, and tapestry. In addition, there are also other products such as throw pillows, tote bags, cell phone cases, vinyl stickers, jigsaw puzzles, shirts, coffee mugs, beach towels, fleece blankets, yoga mats, face masks, duvet covers, shower curtains, and much more!
For more unique gift ideas, please visit my RedBubble Store. In this store are similar products as my Pixels store above, and in addition are dozens of unique apparel options, coasters, acrylic blocks, gallery boards, bath mats, laptop skins and sleeves, wall clocks, comforters, floor pillows, drawstring bags, scarves, travel mugs, water bottles, aprons, and magnets.
This week’s commission is something very different than what I ordinarily do. This is the first time I have ever painted on a license plate! This was a special request for a friend, and is definitely a one-off; I will not be offering license plate paintings in the future. The request was for a license plate with a unicorn painted on it. They wanted the unicorn running in front of a sunset with stars and clouds, and include a gradient of teal, blue, purple and pink in the mane and tail. They live in a state where they are only required to have one license plate on their vehicle, so the front plate can be decorative. This is the first time that I recall having painted a unicorn, and I would certainly be open to painting them again in the future! A larger version of the painting can be seen in my Portfolio Gallery.
The Process
This license plate art was created with acrylic paints on a heavy gauge 1mm thick aluminum license plate. it was completed on April 22, 2021. Normally, license plate art is created with airbrush or enamel paints, but I chose to do it with acrylic paints since that is what I had on hand. I purchased a blank license plate that is solid white on one side and solid black on the other. These are typically used for sublimation printing, air brushing, vinyl decorations, or spray paint. In order to paint on it with acrylic paints, the plate had to be prepped. Acrylic paints do not adhere to glossy smooth surfaces, and the surface of the license plate was very glossy and shiny, so it needed to be sanded and primed. I sanded the surface with 220 and 320 grit sandpapers until it was matte in texture. Then I sprayed the surface with several layers of spray gesso, which provided a textured surface so that the paint could stick.
The license plate with the sketch transferred. The end painting is a bit different than the original sketch!
Once that was dry, I was able to start the painting as I usually do. I transferred my sketch to the plate with graphite paper, and painted the background first. It is very difficult to tell, but the orange and pink areas of the background are actually painted with fluorescent paints; so those areas of the painting in real life are much lighter and brighter than in the photograph of it that you can see on this website. The mane, tail, and fringes on the hooves of the unicorn were painted with a gradient of teal, light blue, light purple, and pink, which waves of darker colors for the shading in the hairs. For the body I used light and medium blue and purple for the shading, and then overlaid it with pearlescent paint, which can only be seen on the real life painting. The horn and hooves were painted with silver metallic paint. I also added some glitter paint to the mane, tail, and hoof fringes of the unicorn, which also cannot really be seen in the image. It was allowed to dry for several days, then coated with several layers of a UV protectant varnish. I advised the customer to put a clear license plate protector over it since it will be put on the car.
All around this was an interesting and challenging project, and a nice change of pace from the pet portraits that I typically paint. I would like to paint more fantasy creatures in the future, and adding a unicorn to my portfolio is definitely a plus.
This artwork is titled “Wolf Aurora”, and features a colorful drawing of an ethereal wolf spirit emerging from the lights of the Aurora Borealis. The drawing was created with Koh-i-noor Gioconda pastel pencils on Strathmore Artagain black paper, and measures 9″ x 12″. The original drawing was created on June 23, 2006. However, it was improperly stored, and much of the pastel had fallen off of the paper. So I restored it on August 15, 2018 by going over it again with the same pastel pencils. The original drawing is very sketchy and rough, and the end result is more refined and polished. Larger versions of this drawing can be seen in my portfolio: Newer Drawing and Original Drawing.
I had just gotten a set of these pastel pencils, and was experimenting with technique, and drew this colorful wolf portrait in blues, greens and violets on black paper. The colors reminded me of the Aurora Borealis. It was originally a quick sketch drawing that was done as a warm up, and to get used to how the pencils worked on the paper. However, I really liked how it turned out. The very first version, which I do not have a scan of, was missing the eyes. I originalle left the eyes completely black to give it a more “spirit animal” feeling, but later decided that it would look better with eyes. I had gone back to add the eyes and scan this artwork, so there is actually three versions of this drawing.
Wolf Aurora Old Drawing vs New Drawing
The reason that I restored it was that I was looking to add higher quality scans of my artwork in my print store, and was going back and rescanning old artworks at a higher DPI. When I got to this one, I realized I could not scan it as it was, and worked on restoring it so I could scan it. Since the original was done in 2006, which was 12 years prior, my art skills and style have changed significantly. I tried to maintain the spirit of the original drawing, but I also ended up correcting some minor flaws, such as the mouth shape and details in the nose. The original scan also cropped out some of the background, so I was able to capture more of the background when I rescanned it, which is why the wolf looks bigger in the first one. Which version do you prefer?
There is not really any deep meaning or inspiration for this drawing. I really like cool colors, and had just gotten this great black paper which worked very well with pastel pencils. I loved drawing wolves, and wanted to do a cool colorful portrait of a wolf. I drew the wolf first, then added the various abstract lines to the background, and the end result looked like a wolf spirit in the northern lights. So I decided to call it Wolf Aurora.
Art Prints, Wall Art, and Other Products
This artwork is available in my online stores too purchase as a fine art print, other wall art options, home decor, clothing, and many other cool products. Continue reading to learn what products are available with this design in my online stores.
Wolf Aurora Framed Artwork
Art Prints, Wall Art and Home Decor
You can purchase “Wolf Aurora” in my FineArtAmerica Art Print Store as a fine art print with many choices of size and material, as well as hundreds of options for framing. Choose from paper giclee prints, stretched canvas prints, and prints on metal, wood, and acrylic, as well as tapestries. Each material comes in a variety of sizes, from 6″ x 8″ to 46″ x 60″. They can even be cropped to standard sizes for easy framing. For art prints, choose from eight different paper types and hundreds of options for framing. Canvas prints come in glossy (recommended) or matte finish, with five different wrap choices, and even the option for framing. Metal prints are printed directly on a 1/16″ sheet of aluminum, and come ready to hang. Acrylic prints are printed on the back of a 1/4″ sheet of clear high gloss acrylic, and your choice of two mounting options. Wood prints are created by printing the artwork on 3/4″ thick maple wood, and come with d-rings for hanging. Cloth tapestries come in three sizes and are printed on polyester microfiber, and are machine washable.
In this store, you can also choose from many other home decor products and other merchandise. This artwork is available on cell phone cases, greeting cards, throw pillows, duvet covers, shower curtains, tote bags, carry-all pouches, beach and bath towels, t-shirts, coffee mugs, yoga mats, face masks, spiral notebooks, and fleece blankets. Most products come with multiple size options.
Wolf Aurora throw pillows
Clothing, Home Decor, and Gift Products
If you are looking for something a little different, visit my RedBubble Store. This store has many products not available in my other online store. It carries most of the same products as the previous store (tote bags, pillows, etc) and many more. There are over 40 unique apparel options for men, women and children, including shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, tank tops, dresses, chiffon tops, leggings, mini skirts, and scarves. Die cut vinyl stickers are a popular favorite, and can be stuck on any surface. There are many options for electronics, including laptop sleeves and skins, iPad cases, iPhone cases, Samsung Galaxy cases, and phone wallets. This store does have a selection of wall art, but fewer sizes are available, being limited to 3-4 sizes. But they do have art boards and posters. You can also purchase acrylic blocks, bath mats, wall clocks, coasters, comforters, floor pillows, drawstring bags, face masks in 3 sizes, pinback buttons, die-cut magnets, socks, travel mugs, water bottles, hardcover journals, jigsaw puzzles, and aprons.
