My Bison Skull project

Well I've had fun working on a new project!  It all started with a gift of this handsome bison skull from our neighbor who owns Big Valley Bison just south of Big Valley, Alberta.  Awesome business and the meat is delicious!

I wanted the design to be a Christian cross but still maintain a feel of southwestern especially with the colors.  We always had a cross hanging in a prominent part of our home when I was growing up and wanted to pay homage to this somehow.  I did have one side of the jaw as something extra to practice on to see how my paints behave on an actual bone as opposed to canvas.

I had to contend with the crack on the front nose part that was not symmetrical so I chose just to ignore that issue.  Was pretty happy with the basic design by this point, I would add more details later.

I found some old leather belts at an antique mall, no buckles on them but the leather was soft and weathered and I like the thought of something old being part of this project.  Still needed more details on the cross though.

You can see the lovely detailed leather work on this old belt that a craftsperson spent a lot of time making, it's just beautiful!

Added some more details to the cross.  I think it's pretty much done but I will prop it up in a corner of the studio to keep looking at it for awhile to be sure.  May have to try another one, my son, an avid hunter, tells me he has a deer skull he has cured and is ready to paint.....stay tuned!