Original painting - weatherbeaten Aussie outback stockman

It is said that the Australian outback produces characters who are truly individual. When I painted this portrait of a true Aussie stockman, I felt this face reflected something of the individual nature of this country.  To survive in such an inhospitable environment, people must be tough, resilient, and able to cope with demands that their city counterparts cannot comprehend.
It is these qualities that I have tried to capture in this study.
The palette of colours that I used in this painting involved primarily warm oranges and shades of beige, balanced with the blue/green tones on the shirt, and also in the lines portraying the face.  Shadows were made distinct to give the impression of a harsh Australian sun.