Very nice, Sharon.

Awesome work Sharon, thank you for sharing!

As mentioned, the eyes, but the muscle tone in his legs, incredible!

All I have to say is "awesome"(I dislike that word, I think it's overused grossly, but it fits here). You've outdone the best, Sharon. By the way, this new art reminds me of a book, relatively recent. John Vaillant's "Tiger". I thought this an excellent treatise on life in general over in Far Eastern Russia. I knew and worked with all the contemporary people in the book. I encourage you to get it.

Jack

WOW both my wife and I said you are an incredible artist

Beautiful Work Sharon

Many thanks, everyone. This project was indeed a step up in expectations.

I didn't know if you knew of these tigers, Jack, but I figured you did.

I'd pay to listen in to your advice on the plans the reserve has in the possible reintroduction of outside "normal" tigers to , as they say, keep the isolated community" stabilized. " Though their studies have stated, the black tigers have no indication of inbreeding depression, are totally healthy , if even better, since their adaptive colour tweak has enabled them to hunt better in those exceptionally dark forests. I still would love to hear your thoughts on all this. I understand if those thoughts aren't desired to be publicly known. I get it and the world of biologists and non field experience.

Thank you for the book idea. I really have loved reading your experiences with the Russian people as well as your work. Knowing that you have enjoyed them as friends and working with them, makes any book a huge motive for me to want to read. I look forward to enjoying this book.

I would love to see one of these tigers in person, howevah. I could enjoy watching them for days.

Ashley, I too liked and noticed the huge areas of jet black from their necks to tail . Often , I see small orange teardrops midway up where the orange areas end to the back. Very unique.

Angela, I really put work into the eyes. And, it's been my tradition to hold out until the rest of the image is done, then doing the eyes last. Its a symbolic way for me to bring them to life, as you said. Thanks for noticing.

beachcomber, Yes it was important to show the massive muscle structure of these tigers, despite the confusion of stripes. Shading in all areas was key. I think their whole framework in bone and muscle strength is unmatched in the cat world. To see them in motion is a thing of beauty. Actually the stripes were an aid in accenting areas of muscle rolls and bones as in the legs , shoulders and shoulder blades. An ocean of zen like waves to accent .

Thank you all again. Art is made for others to enjoy.

I knew of these black tigers in India, but many of the photos I'd not seen. If they really are better adapted to the heavy, dark forests and their is sufficient genetic diversity, why the transplants? If the dark coat is better adapted, the "normal" colored tigers would probably be weeded out of the gene pool any way. I guess I don't understand.

Reminds me of what's going on down at Crater's of the moon. All the small mammals down there (deer mice, pikas, voles, and many others) are very dark in coloration, different than the surrounding mammals. The soil (rocks) are black, and through evolution, it's better-adapted for these little guys to be black, matching the background. Maybe not as neat a situation as the tigers in India, but cool, nonetheless.

Thank you, Jack, for your input. I feel good, because I thought the very same as you commented about. Why the supposed need to introduce some outside "normal " tigers ?

I feel good in that I've learned from listening to your conversations with so many of your amazing friends , also scientists and biologists , trappers , etc. , when you had that get-together some years ago. I soaked in as much info as I could understand from those amazing conversations. And it all made perfect sense to me . You explain things so well.

Another connective thought I also had, was in this isolated community, there is only so much room to negotiate territory and more tigers as they breed and expand . If tigers deal with each other's territory as I know other animals do, there can be intense discussions over new real estate among the newbies and locals.

And any new animal would be completely at a confusing loss , integrating into any territory, already signed in the contracts among the residents. It would be one refusal after another, much room for potential fights. Needless to say , getting to know an area and adapting to the unique conditions , and how to navigate them in hunting. Any new or different animals to hunt ? That may be quite different from where they came from ? A water buck from one area is very different to hunt than a different species altogether.

I see, a potential for dead tigers as that learning curve would be too much to handle in a short time.

Unless I'm missing something, as I well could be, that's my take on such an idea.

It is said that over 60% of the tigers there are black phase. Well, the other percent already there, the more "normal " ones, should be enough to keep everyone happy at family reunions ?

WHY is it that humans, who should know better, feel the need to monkey with a system that is already working like a well oiled machine in nature ? When they themselves admit, those tigers are just fine in health. They aren't THAT interbred.

There is also TALK of plans to introduce tourism into that refuge, in a controlled fashion, in hopes of seeing some of those tigers in the wild. I'm wondering how that would pan out. Those forests are so dense and dark, the chance of seeing one no doubt would be slim...even the biologists who catch them , as you did your tigers , at scent trees , etc., have a hard time locating them with all their tec equipment.

I have heard there are some black tigers in enclosed large areas , not in the reserve, of course. Like large open moat game farms, sort of like a zoo, but different. I feel tourists would do much better observing those tigers in one of those game farms than trying to set something up in the wild, that likely tigers would avoid like the plague, further upsetting their territory and movement.

Im all for being able to see a magnificent animal, there just has to be a better way of doing that, to me. Just my opinion. I really appreciate your insight.

Thank you for the info at Craters of the Moon area. That is cool. Sounds like a similar situation.

If I could, I'd appoint you TOP manager and organizer of all biological studies , the world over.

Awesome !!!!! Is a word I RARELY use It only applies to the best of the best And yotetrapper 30 nails it perfectly when she mentions bringing the eyes to life Every beautiful animal has the eyes that make it a very special one of a kind exception to the rest Sharon You have created a masterpiece Thanks for sharing it with us unworthy ones an not even begin to fathom your talent

Amaizing work! those eyes really look alive.

Beautiful work Sharon! And neat pics!

Extraordinary !! It have to wonder how it is you can see colors in that animal that I can't see. I would never guess that there are blue tones in there. You must have more rods or cones in your eyes than non-artists do.

I think it's kind of nuts to add "normal color" tigers to the existing black population. What possible advantage can that be for that environment ? It isn't as though their organs are any different or that the "normal" tigers are any more robust or less susceptible to disease or poaching. I would think the darker animal is less at risk from humans than the "normal" ones.

Question for everyone but Gulo in particular.......... Could the white spots on the back of the ears be something that cubs can use as a beacon in following adults through brush/grass/dark places ?

Sir Ken, You've seen very glossy black fur, called blue black on animals. In the sunlight, the blue hue can be seen . The prism of reflected light on black tends to show blue tones, or deep indigo or violet, if there's dark brown in it.

It's also long been known in the artist world of professionals, that just using black and white or grays makes for a very flat looking image . The indigo base puts a depth to the black shades as well as adds that light reflection of black-blue on the upper portions where the light accents most.

It's something that grows on you, I think. Everything I see, I look for those underlying colours that add so much depth to any main colour. Look for it, you'll notice them in time.

I've wondered about the white ear patches too. Many cats have those markings in common. Sort of like a whitetail flagging its tail running-to warn others following or just seeing at distance ?

Interesting that those black tigers all have the ear patches . That part never changes.

Are they born with the white patches ?

According to my fast search they do !

Even on the wee ones you can see the white ear patches.

yeah. Thanks !!

Interesting picture. One doesn't expect to see tigers on a floor.
Maybe they will grow up to be golfers .............

You're welcome. The white on white tigers doesn't show, of course. It's all white. I guess in that case, no one can miss following the big white body in the grass ! Though I believe white tigers are not numerous in the wild as they are bred for that trait in captivity.

So much to learn, eh, Jack ?

Golfers ? LOL maybe ...Tiger Woods !

Oh the babies! El Smasho’s heart may burst