There are a couple of points worth bearing in mind when painting animals in the British countryside. One is to paint what you see, not what you think. The other is to use every observational skill you have to really examine all those greens. When I hear artists say they avoid and even dislike green, it always surprises me as there is so much variety in the warmth, vibrance and tone to explore.
Shape and colour
With any subject, try to see it as an abstract shape. A way to do this if working from photographs is to turn the source photo upside down; enabling easier observation of true shape and the surrounding negative space. Try a five-minute sketch before painting to warm your
