Base Coat for Hen (Commission)

I know this color looks pretty bright for a rusty colored reddish hen, but this Wild Ginger base color will barely be seen by the time the other layers of colors and feathers are painted over it.

This rock weighs in at a whopping 10 pounds! I'll have to use my Lazy Susan so I don't have to pick it up and move it around.

I was also thinking about...how do I paint a more realistic tail on this big hen? I've decided to make a tail with some wood putty. It will only be raised about 1/8 th of an inch...kind of like what you see on a relief painting. I've always wanted to try this idea, so I'm going to try it today.

I grew up on a farm and we had fresh eggs every day. I do remember this one nasty hen that wouldn't get off of her eggs and peck at my hands. I used to have to lift her up with a stick and snatch the eggs out from under her. lol

This commission is a big project with 4 rocks, and will probably take me 3-4 afternoons to get it done. I've never painted a hen and chicks on rocks and the first time has a learning curve with all those feathers to paint and will take a bit more time. The next time I get a request for a hen and chicks, I'll be able to paint quicker. I'm really excited to do this commission!