I trialled different textured surfaces to work with. I found the peel of glue creates really beautiful textures and a fragile looking surface.
The textures the glue gives varies dependent on what material the glue dries on. I particularly liked some foams, as they created an impression very similar to that of elephant skin and furthermore, the surface changes depths adding to the fragile nature. I think a huge elephant on a most delicate surface may juxtapose elephants fragile position in the world with their grand presence.
Also as the glue textures gradually disintergrate, the piece would become ephemeral - this aligns with the elephants threat of disappearance in the future, if no action is taken.
Painting with acrylics on the glue surface revealed how the textures can be highlighted and hidden.
A short pencil study of elephants.
Continuous line drawings have helped me to consider which patterns and shapes in the elephant really define it.
I've been starting to think about colours and painting styles - maybe the subject and background merging demonstrates their subtle, unnoticed by many, disappearance from our world.
I love the beauty of their skin surface and the patterns it makes. Highlighting and enlarging these patterns in certain areas of the image may excentuate the patterns and so I think is certainly a possibility.
Let's see where this goes!