Russell the Alaska Muskox

Russell the Alaska Muskox

24" x 36"
Gallery wrapped Oil on Canvas
Original artwork

Russell is a well-known muskox who is thought to be over 100 years old and roams the wilds of Alaska. This image was first captured by a friend (of a friend). When I saw the photo, I immediately fell in love with it and had to paint him, in my own style of course. With his protruding horns and mane of dreadlocks, you can see that Russell is a force to be reckoned with. 

I painted this image using oil paints on a gallery wrapped canvas. The painting wraps around the frame so it extends beyond the front surface. The base color is a vivid pink that peaks through the foreground. I painted the highlights in Russell's dreadlocks with a bright blue and added more depth by surrounding each lock with a deep, rich eggplant purple. The sun is not a perfect circle, as it never is, and I surrounded it with a deep reddish pink aura that reflects off of Russell's crown.

This oil painting has layers upon layers which adds to the visual depth and richness in color that can't be achieved with watercolor, acrylic, or even photos that will fade over time.